DigiTerror
by kirinelf
Summary: The X Virus. A powerful virus that eats into the Digital Frame of a Digimon, increasing their power a hundredfold, but rendering them mad. A new threat for the Digidestined. Who will triumph? Sorato to begin with, ends in Taiora.  Rated T for violence.
1. Genesis

Well guys, here's a Digimon fanfic I've written! I've got 16 Chapters written, but it's been put on hold because of the KH fanfic I'm working on. Still, I'm posting it up here to see what you guys think, and if you guys manage to convince me to continue, then I can either work half on each, or finish the KH one first. But the KH one will always be higher on my priority list. Right, now the disclaimer:

Disclaimer: Digimon and all its respective names and characters all belong to Bandai, and not to me. If I did, you can be bloody sure that Digimon would be continued for a while yet.

On with the fic!

* * *

"TAICHI YAGAMI!" 

The shout echoed through the corridor, bouncing off the ceiling and floor, pursuing a tall teenager with bushy brown hair. In his hands, he carried a small orange dinosaur, looking something like a T-Rex in structure, but definitely not in size.

The teenager ran to his room and opened a suitcase that was lying on the floor, and started tossing all sorts of articles of clothing into it. "Gotta hurry, gotta hurry..." he muttered as he threw every type of clothing he had in his room into the case.

The T-Rex started to help him, all the while muttering himself in a high growly voice. "I told him he should've gotten ready last night! I told him he should've gotten ready this morning! And now he starts to get ready two hours before deadline!"

"Shut up, Agumon!" shouted the teen. He had already started to close his suitcase, jumping up and down on it trying to close it. "I'm hurried enough as it is!"

Footsteps sounded outside his room as his little sister poked her head in. "Hurry up Tai! We're leaving!"

Below her, at about knee level, a feline head popped in as well. "Agumon! Why didn't you tell him to get ready?" It had a mature yet high-pitched voice, marking her as a female.

The T-Rex, Agumon, glared at her. "I tried Gatomon! I've been telling him since last night and now he starts to get ready!" He shot a look at the human above the feline. "He's your brother, Kari! Shouldn't you know when to start harassing him?"

Hikari Yagami stepped into the room, arms folded. "But he's your Tamer! Besides, you should've known to start getting him ready three days before whatever it is that he has to go to."

Gatomon sighed. "Look, this is getting us nowhere. Tai, you ready yet?"

Tai straightened up, grunting. "Yeah, I'm ready. But I'm gonna need a little help..." He rubbed the back of his head a little ruefully, looking at the enormous suitcase that laid close before him.

Agumon shook his head, raising his hands, or claws, in resignation. "Fine, fine..." He lifted up one end of the suitcase, while Tai picked up the other end, and together with Kari and Gatomon, they went out to the car, where their parents were waiting.

"Kids! About time!"

Mrs. Yagami called. "Come on! We've gotta go any second before the traffic gets too crowded!"

"Coming Mom!" came four replies, Digimon and human alike regarding her as their mother.

_**((Cue Butterfly, Digimon Season 1 Opening Theme))**_

* * *

Well, that's it for the first chapter. A nice introductory phase. Please review this and the next chapter, which I will be putting up shortly! 


	2. The X Strike

Well, your reviews of this chapter will decide it. Should I continue posting up the rest of the chapters I have? We will see. This chapter has a lot of action, and will be what you can expect from this story. Enjoy.

* * *

"Ah! Vacation! A break from saving the world!" 

Kari stuck her head out of the window as the car sped down the main highway of Odaiba, heading towards their vacation breakaway in Kyoto. She could hardly wait to see her friends Rika and Izumi again, and she couldn't resist cracking a smile at Tomoki's young endeavors.

Tai, on the other hand, couldn't wait to see his friends Takuya and Kouji, as well as Kouji's twin Kouichi. There was also Lee, whom he had met at the Odaiba soccer club and was a black belt in karate, as well as Junpei who was a technical genius. In fact, he had met Junpei through Izzy, and although it was hard to imagine a genius who liked to play soccer, he and Junpei had clicked immediately, spending whole hours talking on the subject, with Kari and Izumi talking about the latest brand names to hit the stores.

Agumon was quiet, thinking about the past adventures he had had with Tai, as was Gatomon. The two Digimon sat silently, reminiscing about the good old days. Of course, those 'good old days' nearly always involved running away from a big bad villain, then turning around and opening up a can of whoop-ass on them, all the while putting their lives in peril. But still, it was a life, a life of adventure, of battles and life, of action.

Agumon remembered the first times he had digivolved, at the beach when the Shellmon had attacked into Greymon, at Etemon's fortress into MetalGreymon when Tai activated the Crest of Courage for the first time, then Warp Digivolving into WarGreymon when VenomMyotismon attacked. He remembered protecting Tai with all his might, and the first time he and Gabumon, his best friend besides Tai, had DNA Digivolved or Jogress Evolved into the Holy Warrior Omegamon to defeat Diaboromon. Battered and injured, WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon had fused their power with the hopes and goodwill of every child around the world, granting them power beyond anything they had ever seen. That had been one of the greatest moments of his life.

Gatomon on the other hand, was thinking about when she had first discovered that Kari was her Tamer, and the Digidestined of Light. She had been working under Myotismon then, unknowingly working for her master to destroy her partner. But then, Wizardmon had interfered. The sorcerer Digimon had unveiled her eyes, and had sacrificed his life to make Gatomon realize Myotismon's evil. Working under the evil vampire Digimon had toughened her up so much that she was now able to stay in Champion form indefinitely, although her attacks were weaker than what a normal Champion level's would be. Most of her power came from the holy tail ring on her tail, and it stored immense holy power that enabled DNA Digivolving.

Suddenly, there was a great roar, and the ground shook. Tai, Kari, Agumon and Gatomon were startled out of their reverie as Tai's father stepped on the brakes. The car swerved, almost jack-knifing as they fish-tailed off the road into the deep brush of the natural barriers.

The whole family piled out of the car, staring up in horror as a huge Virus MetalGreymon stomped up. But there was a difference. It seemed more bionic than usual, and as Agumon had MetalGreymon as his Ultimate level digivolution, he knew.

"Tai... there's something wrong with him... He's not sane!"

* * *

Tai nodded grimly. "Mom, dad, get under cover. Kari, Gatomon, get ready. Let's go, Agumon." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device, angular in shape and light blue in color, with an antenna coming out of its top right corner. It had a screen in the middle of it, with three buttons placed around the screen. Two were on the right of the screen and were a little smaller in size, while the last button was on the left of the screen and was slightly bigger. The screen was glowing slightly, pulsating with a blue light, lines of '0's and '1's streaking across the screen. 

On a necklace under his shirt, something glowed orange. He reached inside and pulled out what looked like a small pyramid, only thinner. Inside it, under a glass cover, an emblem of a sun glowed. Pulling his arm back, he threw the Crest high into the air.

Kari nodded, and Gatomon leapt onto the grass. Kari reached into her back pocket and pulled out her own Digivice, only hers looked different. It was larger, for one thing, a little more rotund, and it had a pink grip around the bottom. The buttons were more or less the same, only positioned differently. The two smaller buttons had changed into two small triangles positioned one over the other, making them look as though they were two arrows pointing upwards and downwards. A bracelet around her left wrist glowed with a pure white light, coming from a similar pyramid-like tag containing another emblem of a sun, only this one had thinner spikes and there were more of them.

_**((Cue Brave Heart, Digimon Adventure Digivolution Theme))**_

* * *

Tai raised his Digivice. "Agumon!" he shouted. A bright beam of light blasted out from the Digivice, and the Crest of Courage he had thrown into the air broke free of the tag as the beam of light smashed through it. 

A web of digital data enveloped Agumon, peeling all of his skin off into a digital matrix. "Agumon, Crest Digivolve to..." Agumon became bigger, with a helmet of three horns made from brown bone forming over his head. Blue stripes streaked their way onto his back and tail, as he grew into a towering dinosaur that looked more than ever like a T-Rex with three horns. Then, the Champion form of Agumon, Greymon, underwent a further change. His left hand seemed to be struck by lightning, morphing into a huge mechanical claw with three claws. Energy cascaded behind him, suddenly solidifying into a pair of tattered but still functional wings. More lightning struck his bone helmet, transforming it into a bionic life-support system which protected his head and still retained the distinctive three-horned pattern of the Greymon line. Finally, a pair of missile hatches appeared on his chest.

"MetalGreymon!"

Kari mimicked her brother, only she threw her bracelet in the air. The Crest of Light broke free as the D-3 blasted a digital light through it and a shining white light enveloped Gatomon. As Gatomon was already a Champion, she had no need to Digivolve more than once, and activated the Crest Digivolution.

"Gatomon, Crest Digivolve to..."

Her body became taller, her tail shrinking into her body. Her paws morphed into white gloves that covered delicate fingers. Her feline face transformed into the face of a human-looking elf-like beauty before a helmet encased the top half of her face. Six white wings burst in a shower of feathers from her back as a pink sash wound its way around her body. Small threads of clothing joined all around her and clothed her in shining white clothing that was at the very least decent. Finally, the Crest of Light appeared on her gloves, and the light receded from her a bit, leaving a holy aura around her.

"Angewomon!"

The two Ultimate levels faced the rogue Ultimate, and prepared to fight.

* * *

"Giga Destroyer!" shouted MetalGreymon. 

"Holy Arrow!" cried Angewomon.

The huge bionic dinosaur opened the missile launchers on his chest and fired two missiles at the viral MetalGreymon, the missiles followed quickly by an arrow of light.

The two attacks flew towards the other dino, whose skin was as black as MetalGreymon's was orange.

"Viral Destroyer!"

The viral MetalGreymon fired a single organic missile from his mouth, obliterating both the attacks in one strike. He threw his head back and gave a terrific roar.

A bead of sweat formed on Tai's brow.

"Umm... we've got a problem here..."

The two of them pulled out their Digivices again and sent out two distress calls, one to Tai's best friend Yamato Ishida and the other two his younger brother (and Kari's secret obvious crush) Takeru Ishida, Matt and TK for short.

"Giga Scissor Claw!" MetalGreymon fired the three pronged claw that he had for his left hand right out of its socket, aiming for the other MetalGreymon's unprotected right side. But with a quick flip of his tail, the other MetalGreymon sent it flying away. A chain attached to the claw enabled MetalGreymon to retrieve his lost appendage and the two carried on brawling. Angewomon flew around the outside; firing off shots whenever she got the chance, while using the Heaven's Charm to power up her arrows.

"MetalGreymon! I think its time we went Mega!" shouted Tai.

"Angewomon! You too!" called Kari.

"Right!" yelled back the battling Digimon.

A yellow light cascaded around them, devolving them down to their Rookie and Champion forms respectively. Then, the two siblings raised their Digivices again.

"Agumon Warp Digivolve to..."

The three stages of Agumon flashed briefly through where he was floating in the air, then a new form materialized. It stood roughly seven feet tall, with the characteristic tri-horn design of the Greymon line. Golden armor encased him, with gauntlets larger than Agumon's body covering his hands. Three claws protruded out of the top of it, and curved slightly inwards like cruel barbs. A golden shield with the motif of a sun, the symbol of Courage, on it appeared on his back, and silver kneepads protected his legs. Similar colored chest plates protected his chest, and gold shoulder pads secured his shoulders. The finished golden dragon warrior swung his claws outwards, generating a flaming wall around him.

"WarGreymon!" he declared.

Gatomon went through a similar process, her body elongating into a serpentine body with pink scales, and the head of an Eastern dragon. Pink stabilizing fins protruded along the length of her body, and sharp curved horns like those of a goat stabbed upwards from her head. Four pink paws also grew from her body, but she preferred to fly.

"Gatomon Warp Digivolve to... Magnadramon!" she cried.

The two Mega levels faced off against the viral Ultimate, ready to end the battle. WarGreymon activated his back thrusters and flew into the air, clasping his hands together and drawing them apart, generating a big ball of fire between his open palms.

"Terra Force!" he shouted, throwing the large ball of living fire at the viral MetalGreymon.

Magnadramon flew above WarGreymon, then started flying in a circle, her head almost touching her tail as she chanted in an ancient Digital language.

"Heaven's Claw!" she called, as seven pillars of pure light crashed downwards from the sky. The two attacks smashed into the Virus MetalGreymon, who gave a great roar as he vanished into a cloud of smoke.

But just as the two Megas turned around to return to their tamers, two missiles streaked from the smoke cloud and slammed into WarGreymon and Magnadramon.

"Argh!" they screamed, as they fell, Magnadramon just managing to right herself before they hit the ground. She instantly curled up like a snake, her mouth generating a fireball ready to incinerate anyone who came across her way. WarGreymon, being smaller and thus was thrown with more force, smashed into the ground, and was instantly buried. But with a mighty roar, the powerful Mega level smashed through the rubble, the flames that covered him melting the very rock.

As soon as he was freed, the fire around him died down again, and together with Magnadramon, they faced the opponent they thought they destroyed.

* * *

From the smoke cloud into which the viral MetalGreymon had vanished, a digital code surrounded creature emerged. 

"MetalGreymon X Mega Digivolve to..."

The Digicode shattered, revealing a completely metal encased dinosaur that looked similar to MetalGreymon, with the only visible signs of difference being that it only had two horns coming out of the top of his head and was completely encased in metal, as well as having two huge cannons mounted on its shoulders. Its hands were also slightly different, having three fingers that were placed together around a triangle that hid a missile launcher.

"Machinedramon X!"

"What the…?!" gasped Kari and Tai together. "X?!"

WarGreymon cursed.

"It's the X-Virus! It's a program that grants any Digimon immense power as well as a new appearance but can drive them crazy!"

Magnadramon nodded. "But we have no choice but to try. Fire Tornado!"

"Giga Cannon!"

Two immense blasts of energy fired outwards from the Machinedramon X's shoulder cannons, obliterating Magnadramon's attack instantly. The energy blasts continued traveling, smashing into the two Megas and sending them flying. Magnadramon slammed into the ground a little way away from the car while WarGreymon took the shield from his back and used it to absorb the force of the blast.

The force of the attack completely destroyed WarGreymon's shield, but not before WarGreymon managed to recover enough to attack.

"Terra Tornado!"

Putting his claws together to touch at the tips, WarGreymon started to spin around and around, forming a fiery tornado that twirled all around him. He then shot forward, aiming his claws at the Machinedramon X's chest, where the central computer of the now completely machine Digimon would reside.

Magnadramon burst upwards from the small crater she was buried in and formed another circle in the air, nose to tail.

"Heaven's Judgment!" she shouted, blasting down a single pillar of light that completely engulfed the Machinedramon X as well as WarGreymon.

However, the light seemed to strengthen WarGreymon even more, covering him with an intense heat as the Terra Tornado attack sent him drilling into Machinedramon X's armor.

But then, Machinedramon X struck again.

"Giga Cannon!"

The blast struck WarGreymon full on, sending him smashing straight into the ground at supersonic speed. The crater from the dragon warrior's fall was immense, and the rubble immediately fell over him.

"WARGREYMON!" shouted Tai. He ran out, heedless of the danger.

"Tai! Come back!" shouted Kari, afraid for her brother yet scared to go after him.

Suddenly, a new voice called out.

"Don't be so reckless!"

Kari looked around with a dawning hope in her eyes. "Yamato...?"

* * *

In the distance running towards her was a large wolf like creature, completely made out of metal. Two stabilizing fins that doubled as scythes protruded from his shoulders, and blue armor covered him. On his back was a teen with blonde hair, wearing a green shirt and yelling. 

"Tai, you hear me?! Don't go dying on me!" Then down at the Digimon he was riding, "Hurry, MetalGarurumon."

The giant wolf replied, "Got it, Matt."

He picked up speed, speeding over the now ruined highway.

High above them, an angel flew, literally.

"Kari! Are you alright?!" a voice shouted down.

"Takeru!" she shouted back. "I'm alright! But WarGreymon…"

MetalGarurumon's ears perked up, and he fairly flew over the highway.

The duo soon reached where Tai was frantically trying to dig through the rubble.

"Tai, calm down! WarGreymon's good, he'll be alright!" yelled Matt as they neared.

"Stand aside," commanded MetalGarurumon. As the two of them obligingly stood aside, missile hatches opened all over his mechanical body. "Metal Wolf Claw!"

His shout was accompanied by another.

"Terra Force!"

As the barrage of missiles from MetalGarurumon's body smashed repeatedly into the rubble burying WarGreymon, a huge glowing ball of fire crashed into it from the other side.

The rubble was instantly blown away, and WarGreymon flew out, looking slightly the worst for wear, but still fighting fit.

"Sorry for the worry, Tai. MetalGarurumon, Matt, nice to see you." He lifted a claw to point at the huge Machinedramon X who was being kept busy by the agile Magnadramon. "Now, we have a rampage virus here." He turned his gaze onto MetalGarurumon. "The X Virus."

MetalGarurumon gasped. "The X Virus? Didn't the four Digital Gods purge it a while ago?"

"Apparently not. Because there in front of you is a Machinedramon X, and he has pummelled both me and Magnadramon with even trying."

Now it was Tai's turn to gasp in dismay. "Not even trying?! He beat you two without even trying? He sure looked like he was trying!"

WarGreymon shook his head. "No, I never said he beat us. But he sure has beaten us into a pulp, and we may need every bit of power we can get our hands on." He looked at each of them in turn. "Even if it means Jogress Evolution."

Matt narrowed his eyes. "Do we really have to resort to that? C'mon, he's just a single Mega level. We've got three here, four counting Seraphimon, if he decides to come." He glanced at his brother, who had just arrived and was landing over at Kari's shelter.

MetalGarurumon nodded. "Yes, we might have to resort to that. The X Virus almost doubles the strength of whoever is infected by it, but it in turn drains their sanity. That 'single Mega' there has the power to annihilate the whole of Japan, but he just seems to be coming after us. Any ideas, Digidestined?" He added, with a slight emphasis on Digidestined.

"You mean… that he's coming after…" started Tai.

"…us?" finished Matt.

"And all the other Digidestined as well. We have to alert them all, Davis, Yolei, Cody, Mimi, Joe, Sora, Izzy. All of them. Get them ready for a fight," agreed WarGreymon.

"But… do we really need all of them just to fight this Machinedramon?" asked Tai.

"No…" replied MetalGarurumon, turning his head to look at him with a sad smile on his face. "But do you think whoever sent that Machinedramon X here would really go to all that trouble to send just one?"

Matt was silent.

Then Kari screamed.

* * *

Instinctively, Tai whirled around to search for Kari. "Kari!" he called. 

However, when he did find her, she was cradling a devolved Gatomon in her arms, crying her name softly.

"Gatomon... Gatomon!"

TK was standing behind her, and Angemon had begun his assault on the Machinedramon X.

"Hand of Fate!"

The angel punched forward, launching a holy ray of light at the machine Digimon. However, it exploded harmlessly over his armor.

"TK!" he called over his shoulder. "Hope!"

TK nodded grimly. He held up his Digivice, shaped like Kari's, and it began to glow with a pure white light. A symbol like a sun above a small pyramid appeared on its screen, and the light shot forth and hit Angemon.

"Now!" shouted TK. "Crest Digivolution activate!"

The Crest of Hope appeared briefly before the D-3 Digivice, then disappeared.

"Angemon, Crest Digivolve to..."

The helmet on Angemon's head elongated, and turned purple in colour. Four more wings sprouted from his back, making a total of six pure white wings on his back, and a purple bracelet appeared on his wrist. A gold sash with mystic symbols entwined itself around his body, and the new Ultimate level threw his hand out to one side, sending holy energy all around him as he announced his new name, "MagnaAngemon!"

Now the Digidestined breathed a small sigh of relief. MagnaAngemon was the most powerful Ultimate in the Digital World, and although this was still the Real World, that policy applied to both sides of the Digital Wall. As far as they were concerned, they had a fighting chance.

But WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon knew better. A fighting chance they may have, but slim that chance was. They took off, side by side.

MagnaAngemon held up his right hand, then threw it out to the side. A beaming purple blade of pure light shot out of the bracelet, the Excalibur.

"Excalibur!" he shouted, diving forward to plunge his blade deep into the Machinedramon X's shoulder.

"Terra Force!" WarGreymon generated a huge ball of flame between his hands and flew up into the sky, throwing it at the Machinedramon X.

"Metal Wolf Claw!" MetalGarurumon stopped in mid stride, opening up the innumerable missile hatches littering his body, and firing a barrage of missiles that exploded into ice shards on impact.

The three attacks smashed into the Machinedramon X's body, causing it to give a mechanical roar of fury.

"Dragon Fire!"

A blast of flame streamed forth from the Machinedramon X's mouth, slamming into MagnaAngemon, who unfortunately happened to be nearest. He spiraled away, smoke trailing from him.

"MagnaAngemon!" yelled TK. "Be careful!"

"Full HP Cure!" shouted the angel Digimon, a cascade of green sparks falling around him and healing him.

WarGreymon decided to try a different tactic. Raising his claws, he threw one of them at the Machinedramon, followed right after by his other claw. "Dramon Destroyer!" he shouted.

The claws went right in, smashing into the Machinedramon X's armor, and tearing deep into the central control system. But as the machine Digimon short circuited, it gave off a loud piercing sound. The sound morphed, forming into a voice.

"Machinedramon X Digivolve to…"

The Digidestined gasped, and their Digimon flew back to their sides, guarding them.

Gatomon feebly opened an eye, then struggled to her feet.

"Kari… Get behind me…" she murmured.

With her left paw supporting her right shoulder, she limped before Kari, defending her.

"Gatomon…" whispered Kari.

WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Matt, Tai, get ready. We need to Jogress now!" WarGreymon ordered over his shoulder.

Matt and Tai ran behind their partners, then looked at each other and nodded. Their hands reached for their Digivices, and with a yell, they held them up before them.

"Jogress Evolution, activate!" they shouted together.

The two Crests of the Digidestined, Courage and Friendship hovered in front of them, then merged with a burst of white light that shot towards the two Digimon, connecting them and drawing together.

In the distance, the mighty roar of the Machinedramon X grew in volume, as he started to morph, purple sparks interlacing among the blue Digital data that engulfed him. His head withdrew into his body, followed by his arms and legs, as well as his shoulder cannons.

Before the Digidestined, the two Mega levels became larger. Then, their bodies disintegrated into a gold data stream that went into their heads, which were left intact.

The Machinedramon X had now become completely round, hovering in mid-air. Several protrusions shot out of the bulb, making it look studded. An extra large stud appeared at the top of the bulb, sinister in the bright light that shone from behind.

Arm-like extensions came out of the back of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon's heads, with shoulder pads with their respective crests emblazoned on them. Golden data started to congregate in the empty space between the two arms forming the shape of a body.

Chains started to appear all around the studded bulb, and purple data swirled around the extra large stud at the top, forming a vaguely humanoid shape. A blast of lighting struck the stud, illuminating a black figure, the bottom of his body melded entirely into the bulb below him. A black tattered cape flew out behind him, and his right arm was entirely mechanical.

A body made entirely of white armor formed between the two arms, connecting them. A swirling red cape cascaded down its back, and green light swirled in the empty eye sockets, solidifying into noble green eyes.

What was the Machinedramon X was now a large round figure, with protrusions all over it with an evil humanoid shape wearing a mask with a single eyehole and with its lower body connecting with flesh and mechanical strand to the huge studded bulb below it. Chains encircled it entirely, and some of the protrusions around it had exploded, revealing large claws connected to it by long chains that flew around it. Its presence resulted in an evil aura that was almost visible, encircling it and injecting fear into the very atmosphere.

WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon were now no longer separate beings, but had merged into a single entity that sported their heads as its hands; WarGreymon's head was the left hand while MetalGarurumon's head was the right hand. A red cape billowed out behind it, and its 'body' was made of pure white armor, straight through. Its head had a single white protrusion in the centre, looking like a horn, with two yellow spokes angled backwards behind the single white one. Its mouth was nothing more than a slit, although it could still speak, and its chest had blue stripes slashed across each breastplate, which in its turn narrowed down into a spike that extended over its torso. Its torso was nothing more than a black spike, with a white hip that had a yellow horn-like extension on each side.

"Apocalymon X!" The voice was an entirely new one, different from the Machinedramon X's low raspy mechanical voice, more human sounding but no less evil.

"Omegamon!" This voice sounded like a melding of WarGreymon's and MetalGarurumon's, as well as having a mechanical tone to it.

* * *

Well, you guys know what to do. Review, or this cliffy won't be resolved anytime soon... ) I'm evil. 


	3. Destined Battle

Well, I was bored, so here's Chapter 3. Thanks for the reviews, AngelSachiya, LordPata. This chapter's dedicated to you!

* * *

The two opposite forces faced each other, hatred and distaste evident in their eyes. 

Tai, Matt, TK and Kari all glared at the Apocalymon X, but there was fear too; it had been the final battle for them before they left the Digital World for the first time, although they had been there and back several times since then. That day, Apocalymon had not been inflicted by the X Virus, but had still been insanely powerful. They had faced him twice, the first time they had been defeated utterly, with each of the Ultra Mega's claws devolving them back into their IT form, and their Crests had been taken by force. Apocalymon had then crushed each Crest in his hands, destroying them before he banished the Digidestined into a Digital graveyard. But in there, they had learned a crucial secret; through their determination and their strength, the Crests that had been destroyed had been nothing but a catalyst, and the Crests' purpose was to make them believe. The true power of the Crests had lain within themselves, and they had called upon that power to Digivolve once more, and brought them out of the graveyard. Back in their battleground, they had called upon their courage, the Crest of Courage wielded by Tai, their friendship, inspired by the Crest of Friendship that Matt wielded, their love for each other, the Crest of Love that Sora held, the reliability of themselves, the Crest of Reliability of Joe, their knowledge that the Digital World would be destroyed if they failed, the Crest of Knowledge Izzy had, their hope for a better future, TK's Crest of Hope, and the light that evened out darkness, the Crest of Light in Kari's possession, to call forth strength that had lain hidden within them to defeat Apocalymon. But his strength was such that he still stood after the beating they gave him, and to try and take the Digidestined with him, he used his desperation attack, Total Annihilation to self destruct and try to kill the Digidestined. But at the last moment, their Digivices had awoken, and they activated the Golden Web to seal away Apocalymon.

Now here before them, that same nightmare that had plagued them for many nights had resurrected before them, giving substance to their fears.

Gatomon shivered, remembering hard times at Myotismon's hands, who had been a minion of Apocalymon, although he did not know it.

Kari felt her partner's shiver, and felt her own cold fingers of terror envelope her. But then she looked over at Tai and Matt, and felt heartened.

The two of them were standing shoulder to shoulder, and when Kari looked closer, she could see glimmers of light playing over what wasn't there: a long glimmering sword in Taichi's hand, and a mechanical robotic arm in place of Yamato's right arm. A flaming vortex encircled Tai, while icy winds blew around Matt.

But when Kari glanced at TK, wondering whether he had seen the phenomenon around their brothers, she noticed that he was glaring right at the Apocalymon X, hatred swirling in his eyes, although his hand was trembling slightly.

When she glanced back at Tai and Matt, the images had disappeared. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes.

"Gatomon... did you see... what was around Brother and Matt just now...?" she asked tentatively.

Gatomon looked at Kari searchingly for a second, then shook her head. "No. But I felt something." She replied. "What was it?"

Kari shook her head again. "N.. .Nothing... I thought... I thought I saw... Never mind..." she lapsed into silence.

Gatomon nodded her head knowingly. The feline knew that Kari was a special Chosen, and that she could feel evil from a great distance and that sometimes she saw visions of what would come. It was a great burden, as the meaning was never truly clear, and what might seem good might also turn out to be bad, and the knowledge that she could do nothing to change fate weight heavily on Kari's mind. As her partner, Gatomon was the only one who knew the extent of Kari's powers, whereas all the other Digidestined only knew that the presence of evil struck Kari a lot worse than it struck them.

* * *

Suddenly, the two battlers, who had been motionless until now, staring each other down, moved into a flurry of action.

Omegamon flew high into the air, throwing his right hand, MetalGarurumon's head, out to the side. With a burst of smoke, a huge cannon emerged out of what was the mouth, and a bright blue light filled up the empty eye sockets. Blue swirls of energy flickered around the cannon, gathering into the barrel and building up an intense light.

Apocalymon X threw his arms to the sides, summoning numerous chains flying out to try and capture the holy knight, while sending four to attack the Digidestined and the two remaining Digimon.

"Death Claw!" he shouted.

Kari shrieked, which made TK start and whip around, running to her and grabbing her shoulders, turning around to stand protectively around her. Immediately behind him, MagnaAngemon flew down from the sky, slashing out in a single purple arc which sent out a glowing shockwave that destroyed the five claws coming at them. He then flew to Kari's side and knelt down before the weakened Gatomon, chanting in the ancient Digital language that resulted in the same green sparks that had healed him before came cascading down onto the feline.

Gatomon jerked, then relaxed and gave a sigh. "Thanks MagnaAngemon. I owe ya."

MagnaAngemon, with his face hidden behind his purple mask, couldn't actually wink, but his mouth turned up in a mischievous smirk. "How about you Digivolve into something other than Magnadramon?"

Gatomon grinned as well. "Sure. Kari?"

Kari shook her head as she gave a small smile at her Digimon's antics. She raised her D-3, and activated her Crest Digivolution.

"Crest Digivolution, Activate!"

"Gatomon Crest Digivolve to... Angewomon!" shouted the Champion turned Ultimate.

The two angels took to flight, their brilliant white wings forming a kind of rainbow as they flew side by side, Angewomon with her bow drawn and taunt, MagnaAngemon with his brilliant purple sabre ignited.

As the claws of the Apocalymon X drew closer, Omegamon held his ground, his cannon now glowing with a blue so piercing that none of the Digidestined could look directly at it. Suddenly, he lifted his hand, pointing it right at the Death Claw attack of the Apocalymon X.

"Supreme Cannon!" he cried.

The small energy ball that shot out of his cannon made the Apocalymon X laugh, but when it connected, the explosion and force that ensued was so powerful it actually sent MagnaAngemon and Angewomon back a few metres, as well as sending the Apocalymon X stumbling back.

"Hey! We're flying here!" shouted Angewomon.

Omegamon turned to look at them. "Sorry 'bout that. And by the way, duck."

"Huh? Oh..." replied the two angels as they swerved under another claw attack.

Omegamon then turned back to the Apocalymon X, this time raising his left hand, the WarGreymon head. With a flash of bright light, a long rune-engraved blade shot out of the mouth. The blade was purely black, with a silver edge and golden runes engraved in the ancient Digital language, and Omegamon lifted it so it pointed straight upwards into the air.

The Apocalymon X growled as the light reflected from the blade shone into his eyes. Squinting at the shining figure of Omegamon, He then reached upwards with both hands, both palms pressed together. As he drew them apart, a purple haze seemed to flicker around them, then suddenly solidify into a massive ball of crackling purple energy, with streaks of black threaded among it.

Omegamon swung his sword down, just as Apocalymon X threw the huge ball of energy at him.

"Transcendent Sword!" boomed the voice of the knight.

"Darkness Zone!" hissed the voice of the mutant hybrid.

"Excalibur!" shouted MagnaAngemon as he joined Omegamon's side.

"Heaven's Charm…. Celestial Arrow!" cried Angewomon as she gathered up all the holy energy and light around her, then channeled the energy into her arrow and releasing it behind the attacks of the others.

Omegamon's Transcendent Sword attack consisted of the runes glowing bright red as he swung the sword, leaving crimson streaks of light through the air, which then sped towards his target, exploding on impact.

Apocalymon X's Darkness Zone attack on the other hand, wasn't a multi-hit but slightly weak attack like Omegamon's, but was a single powerful strike with his huge energy ball.

MagnaAngemon's attack was supposed to be a melee attack, but the force of his swing left remnants of the glowing light purple energy that made up his saber hovering in the air for a split second, before the momentum of the swing sent them flying at the Apocalymon X.

Angewomon's attack was pretty weak compared to the others', but absorbing the energies around them had powered it up, although it wasn't on par with the other fighters'.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the ground further away, Tai and the others spread out, erecting make-shift barriers around the area, trying to prevent other people from coming along. Tai and Kari also herded their parents away from the scene, for fear of them getting hurt. Luckily, the people of Japan already knew about the existence of Digimon, and they understood the significance of the Digidestined, as it had been their hope and light that had allowed Omegamon to first DNA Digivolve, as they watched on computers, laptops, and cell phones all over the world. Anyone coming along the road went on to their destination by another route without any fuss, and some defiant ones sat along the road to watch the battle, despite Tai's warnings that it might be unsafe. 

"C'mon! Omnimon's here isn't he? He'll take care of stuff!" was the general unconcerned care of the assembled audience, referring to Omegamon's other name, Omnimon.

After several fruitless tries to move them, the Digidestined gave up, and left them to their survival instincts. They reasoned that after having a couple of fireballs blown up at their feet, their instincts will be screaming, "Run!"

Kari, on a sudden urge, sent out e-mails to all the other Digidestined on her D-3, warning them that rogue Digimon might suddenly appear at wherever they were, and telling them to remain on guard. Almost instantaneously, she received e-mails back, saying that they had already had their dose of attacks. However, they had managed to fend them off, although they all thought that the attacks haven't been very well-planned and/or executed, and their respective partners had had no trouble fending them off. They had discussed the matter between themselves; in fact, the members of the first adventure, excluding the four of them, had already had a small meeting not far away. But apparently, they had tried to contact Tai and Kari by mobile, and as the presence of a wild Digimon disrupted radio waves, they had been unable to get through. They were on the way here, and utilizing their Digimon to get here as soon as possible.

* * *

As the projectile attacks made their way towards the Apocalymon X's Darkness Zone attack, the evil Digimon was busy charging up another attack, hidden from the sight of the Chosen Digimon by his own enormous energy ball. Small grenade-like balls were hidden in each of his claws, then drawn back as though in a slingshot. The cunning X Digimon waited for the attacks to collide, canceling each other out before he slung his own attack.

Just as he expected the attacks crashed into each other, creating a huge explosion that sent more than one of the viewers scurrying for cover, although the most devout of the Digimon fans stood their ground, teeth gritted. Under their breath, they uttered a single word as one, almost chanting it, hoping to be able to help their heroes, who were also their peers, and for some of them, friends. That single word, repeated again and again…. "Hikari… Hikari… Hikari…" Light… Light… Light…

Light for their hopes, light for their dreams; light for their lives, light for their future.

The Apocalymon X waited until the last minute, then released his ambush attack. "Virus Grenade!"

The attack did as he expected, catching them off-guard as the viruses hidden within the grenades did their work, immobilizing them while he charged up another attack.

The Apocalymon X's claws reared up beside him as the electrical pulses from his ambush worked on the electrical circuits within every Digimon. Omegamon strained his body, raising his Sword of Courage bit by bit, but he knew that it would be too late. He was the only one who managed to move after the ambush attack, such was the will and power of WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon.

"Damn it… After beating this guy once… and VenomMyotismon… Puppetmon… Piedmon… Diaboromon… Armageddemon… I can't… Not now…" he thought.

Suddenly, a shout crashed through the air.

"Positron Laser!"

A bright blue beam streaked through the air, crashing straight through the claws, before smashing right into one of the studs, blasting a black crater in the huge body of the synethic Digimon.

A large figure hovered above the four battlers, red draconic wings spread wide. His right hand was thrown forwards, smoke spiraling gently from the small laser cannon mounted on it. A long blue tail snaked out from under his strong black armor, and a dragon's head was melded onto his breastplate. Blue skin peeped out from wherever his armor left small pieces exposed for maximum movement, and claws slashed out from the tips of the arm guards. A dragon emblazoned helmet protected his head, leaving only his aqua eyes visible. The newcomer was Imperialdramon Fighter Mode, and he was the Mode Change of the Mega Digivolution of the DNA Digivolution of ExVeemon and Stingmon. In other words, he was pretty darn powerful.

"Hey all!" he called, waving.

As the effects of the Virus Grenade wore off, Omegamon swung his blade, sending a huge shockwave of energy crashing out in an arc.

"Grey Sword!" he shouted, then turned to the newcomer. "Took you long enough, Imperialdramon."

The Grey Sword attack demolished the claws of the Apocalymon X, but he was quick to retaliate with another Darkness Zone attack.

As the huge energy ball loomed towards them, Imperialdramon turned to face it. The dragon head on his chest opened its mouth, and a laser cannon emerged. The crystals embedded in the barrel of the cannon started to glow as they absorbed the power of the sun, then a large orange energy ball appeared between the two spikes that protruded from the tip of the cannon.

"Giga Death!" he shouted, launching the ball into the Darkness Zone of the Apocalymon X. "Sorry! Took a wrong turn some two miles back!"

As the energy ball met the Darkness Zone dead-on, a huge explosion occurred, even larger than that of the Supreme Cannon attack that Omegamon used earlier. However, unlike Omegamon's this attack was a concentrated attack, which ended up contained in the Darkness Zone attack, with the effects of the attack not extending an inch out of it.

MagnaAngemon raised his hand, tracing green runes that shimmered in the air. "Antidote!" he shouted, and the three Digimon who had been affected by the Virus Grenade attack felt revitalized, as the Antidote healing technique seeped into their core and destroyed the viruses eating away at them.

Omegamon flew straight up, his red cloak billowing out behind him as he ascended. As he reached the highest point of his flight, he turned around, diving straight at the Apocalymon X with the Sword of Courage and the Cannon of Friendship drawn and ready.

MagnaAngemon and Angewomon moved aside, both charging up their projectile attacks as Omegamon neared his target, and Imperialdramon charged up his Positron Laser strapped on his wrist.

"This..." said MagnaAngemon, Excalibur pulled back to its fullest, holy energy gathering around its tip.

"...is..." continued Imperialdramon, the glowing laser cannon on his wrists pointed unerringly at the Apocalymon X's torso.

"...the..." followed up Angewomon, weakest of the four, but the gatherer of their energies, the Celestial Arrow gathering up all the hops of the watchers to its zenith, and the Heaven's Charm powering up all her allies strength.

"...end!" finished Omegamon, plunging his blade straight into the Apocalymon X's head, just as the others unleashed their attacks.

"Transcendent Sword!" shouted Omegamon. Red streaks of energy burst out of the sword, exploding right in Apocalymon X's head as they emerged.

"Gate of Destiny!" cried MagnaAngemon. Excalibur was swung in a circle, and a gate appeared. As Excalibur was brought down in a final slash, the Gate split down the middle and opened. A massive vacuum immobilized the Apocalymon X, slowly drawing him inside it.

Apocalymon X struggled with all his might; only evil was permitted inside the eternal gate, the Gate that will punish them eternally for their errors, and the Gate that can only be opened by MagnaAngemon and his final evolution.

"Celestial Arrow!" Angewomon chained her attack behind MagnaAngemon's, slamming into Apocalymon X from behind and working to push him into the Gate. Its power had been greatly enhanced by all the powerful energies emanating from the others, and it was now on par with the force of MetalGreymon's Giga Destroyer.

"Positron Laser!" Imperialdramon launched his attack from above, the bright blue laser pelting straight through the hybrid X Digimon.

All the while, Omegamon was pushing his foe with his blade, and now, he brought up his cannon to bear. Thrusting it into the Apocalymon X's torso, he called out the name of his mighty attack.

"Garuru Cannon!"

The blast that came from his cannon was totally different from the Supreme Cannon attack earlier; while that attack had been a single insignificant ball of energy that had exploded with massive force on impact; this was a huge blue laser that pummeled Apocalymon X mercilessly. The force of the laser did the final push that sent Apocalymon X through the portal, and as MagnaAngemon closed the Gate of Destiny, there came a final shriek that was cut off suddenly. 

* * *

"Yes!" shouted Tai and Matt together, giving each other high fives and clasping hands as though brothers.

Kari and TK on the other hand, were hugging each other, full of relief that no harm had come to the other.

Their Digimon came flying back, and the two angel Digimon devolved into their Rookie and Champion forms; Patamon and Gatomon respectively. Patamon was basically a small brown hamster like creature, with long brown ears that worked somewhat like wings, and a white underbelly.

"We did it! TK! Kari! We did it!"

The audience, most of which had been clapping and cheering during the Apocalymon X's last moments, now dispersed and went on their way, their minds full of what had happened that day and their hearts full of pride that they had managed to witness one of the Digidestined's battles.

But although there was a happy reunion behind them, as Omegamon landed before Tai and Matt, the two of them were solemn.

"We fended of this first attack, but at the cost of a huge expending of energy. The next time they come, I don't think it will be this easy." Omegamon gazed searchingly at the two of the leading Digidestined before him.

Imperialdramon landed next to him.

"Easy? This makes the attack on Daisuke and Ken look like Agumon eating pies!"

As Omegamon turned to gaze at him silently, the Mega DNA gulped. "Um... bad choice of metaphors?"

"First thing we should do is gather all the Digidestined into one area, so it would be easier to help each other and fend off attacks." Tai spoke up.

Omegamon nodded. "Good point Tai. Any more ideas Matt?"

Matt nodded. "Then, we hightail it into the Digital World. We can't afford any more damage to the Real World. In the Digital World, the landscape is more suited to fighting. Plus, we actually have allies there who can help."

Omegamon considered. "True," he concluded. "I'll go look for the other Digidestined, so I can he-"

Suddenly an interruption came.

"Patamon!"

The two older Digidestined spun around instantly, and gasped at the sight that met their eyes.

* * *

Patamon was lying unconscious on the ground, and a hellish purple glow surrounded him. Beside him, TK was on his knees, shaking him as Gatomon Digivolved into Angewomon and tried to revive him. 

"Patamon! Patamon what happened?!"

Suddenly, Patamon feebly opened an eye.

"T... K..."

TK bent over his fallen partner. "Patamon? What happened?!"

"T... K... I need to... Warp... Digivolve..."

TK gasped. "Sera... Seraphimon?!"

But Patamon had fainted again.

TK turned to face Kari.

"Hikari?"

Kari nodded.

"Warp Digivolution..." said Kari, raising her Crest of Light.

"Warp Digivolution..." echoed TK, holding up the Crest of Hope.

"ACTIVATE!" they shouted as one.

Instantly, golden light swallowed up Patamon and Angewomon, although a small patch of purple showed where the small Rookie lied. Patamon was the weakest Rookie, although Angemon was the strongest Champion and MagnaAngemon the most powerful Ultimate. TK's concern was that he will lose Patamon again, as he had the first time he entered the Digital World.

Then, Angemon had sacrificed himself to defeat Devimon, and TK could still feel the brush of angel feathers as they drifted from the heaven's from where Angemon had ascended to, and the feel of holding the Digitama or Digi-Egg that Angemon had left behind in his hands.

"Patamon!" he screamed.

Deep inside the golden pillar, two figures morphed.

"Patamon Warp Digivolve to... Seraphimon!"

The voice changed from a small squeaky voice into a deep noble one, full of power, but with a warmth laid through it nonetheless.

"Gatomon Warp Digivolve to... Magnadramon!"

As the golden light receded, two figures hovered above the ground. One was Magnadramon, the same Mega level of Gatomon's as before, but the other figure was what drew the eye.

A tall being, with a blue mask completely covering his face, and a cross star forged on it in gold. Ten golden wings sprouted from his back and blue armor protected his body. A golden sash with mystic runes in the ancient Digital language hung down over his groin, and runes and grey armor peeked out from where the blue armor didn't completely cover his body. His breastplate was grey, and two small grey wing-like projections jutted out from the sides of his helmet. Gold runes and symbols decorated his armor, and the Crest of Hope was printed in red over his chest armor.

In the new angel's hands were two blue balls of data, constantly morphing and changing as they followed an unknown road. However, two purple strands of data moved in a pattern, creating an 'X' symbol within it.

"Is that...?!" gasped Omegamon, the holy knight visibly shaking.

"The X Virus. However, I have purified it, and it is now the X Antibody." Replied Seraphimon.

"But why are there two strands? And where did you get them from?" interjected Imperialdramon.

"I extracted them from the Apocalymon X as the Gate closed. It was a risk, but it has turned out as I planned."

"What do you mean planned?!" shouted TK. "You had me worried sick!"

Matt nudged Tai. "Now he knows how I feel whenever he is alone with Kari. You never know with those two..." he whispered with a sly wink.

Tai grinned back. "Same here. Youngsters eh?" He then turned back to Seraphimon, who was looking down at TK.

Although the helmet covered his face, hiding all expressions, the angel Digimon somehow managed to project whatever he was doing beneath the mask to anyone he wanted. Right now, the impression was that he was smiling affectionately down at TK.

"I'm sorry TK. But this is the result: The light of evolution has aided me in purifying the X-Virus, and it is now the X-Antibody. Omegamon, come."

As the holy knight descended warily before Seraphimon, the archangel raised up the X-Antibody in his hands.

"Absorb it into your cores." He said.

"What?!" replied Omegamon clearly shocked. "The X-Virus is unstable! I trust your judgment Seraphimon, but this is too much."

"It is vital for our future, that you absorb these strands. I have had a glimpse into the future, but all I see is red; red hair, red blood, red stains on the ground. War lies ahead with the X-Virus, it is obvious enough. But we had to struggle so hard to defeat Apocalymon X, how do you think we can stave off another attack?"

"So this is why you have two strands of the X-Antibody... one for WarGreymon and one for MetalGarurumon I presume?" said Imperialdramon from where he stood behind Tai and Matt. He had reverted back into his Dragon mode, a quadruple dragon with a huge cannon strapped to his back, and the familiar black armor covering him.

Seraphimon nodded, his helmeted face never moving away from where hidden eyes gazed into Omegamon's green ones.

* * *

To the side, Tai, TK, Matt and Kari were having a fevered whispered conversation.

"Red hair...?"

"It can't be... Red hair is too common..."

"How many people besides Sora and Izzy have you seen with red hair?"

"Well..."

"It's too much of a coincidence... he comes out only in times of war, and war is nearing..."

"But what would he know about Digimon? We're the only Chosen Ones aren't we?"

"But the blood on the ground!"

"It might be or might not be him. But still..."

"What if he reappears?"

"It's been too long... he would be too old wouldn't he?"

"But the killings that have gone unexplained..."

"They have been increasing lately..."

"Come on... he can't possibly return, it can't possibly be him!"

"What is it Tai... are you scared?"

"No!"

"Well you sure seem like it."

"Matt, Tai, stop bickering. But if it is him, then what are we gonna do? I mean, he is rumored to be invincible and immortal..."

"I don't know bro. Seriously, what would he know about Digimon? I mean, its bad enough the people of Japan know so much about us, we're heroes for crying out loud!"

"So you're letting herodom get to your head?"

"Brother!"

"Sorry, guess I got carried away."

"Well, I've got my band to worry about..."

"Yeah, and TK and me have our schooling to worry about. But which is more important: The Digital World or our schooling?"

"Erm..."

"And with the power of the X Digimon, do you think they'll be satisfied by the Digital World? They might just decide that this world next to theirs is too tempting to resist!"

"This is getting off course... What are we going to do about him?!"

"Tai, for all we know, the red hair that Seraphimon saw could belong to Sora or Izzy."

"Sis, you were the one who called this, you said you felt something!"

"I did... a sense of darkness, and the smell of... blood..."

"There! You see? It has to be him! Who else could smell of blood nowadays?!"

"A red-haired butcher?"

"I think that applies to him as well."

"A red-haired nurse?"

"Nurse?!"

"Why not?"

"Because!"

"Whatever. So why he can't be just an ordinary person?"

"Tai, think. He's still alive after five hundred years! What do you think?!"

"How can we be sure it's the same person?!"

"You know how every body was found? Cut into eight pieces! Scattered all around the area! And each piece cut evenly according to their body size! It would've taken great skill to master an attack that can do that..."

"How do you know that whoever did it didn't just do it slowly?!"

"Tai, you watch the news everyday. You know that the forensic teams sent were mystified for it seemed like each piece had been cut at the same time. The congealed blood and condition of the pieces. Unless it's more than one person, then that person must be extraordinary."

"Then its more than one person!"

"Tai, you're scared. I know it."

"Cut it out Matt!"

"You guys done yet?"

Another voice cut in, scaring the wits out of them.

As the four of them jumped in alarm and spun around the face whoever had spoken, they were aghast at the change that met their eyes.

"O...Omegamon...?"

In the place of the holy knight was another, more impressive looking one. His entire body looked more robotic, as though with a 3-dimensional look from each side, and his hands, the MetalGarurumon and WarGreymon heads had changed as well. His cape now had a tattered look to it, which only added to his impressive stature, as though someone returning from battle. An orb shimmered crimson in the centre of his chest, and he gave off an aura of raw undiluted power.

"Omegamon X, to be precise," corrected Imperialdramon from where he stood beside them; it had been him who had interrupted their conversation. "He's absorbed the X Antibody. Kinda cool don't you think?"

Omegamon X started to glow with a bright white light, devolving into WarGreymon X and MetalGarurumon X.

The new Digimon were also different to their usual forms, with MetalGarurumon X being the most different. Where his previous Mega form had been a quadrupled bionic wolf, His new form was a bipedal bionic wolf, with his left arm gone and replaced with a huge Gatling gun, and with even more compartments all over his body. A small spout-like protrusion was visible every time he opened his mouth, and a missile box was slung over his right shoulder, with an atomic laser mounted on his left, both on swivels so he could store them away to minimize friction when he flew with the jet thrusters on his back.

WarGreymon X however, remained much the same as his previous Mega form. He still stood tall and proud on two legs, but his helmet and general body armor had undergone a change. The helmet, which previously covered only the top of his head, now completely encased his head, leaving only eye sockets where his green eyes were visible. His shield and wing plates were gone, leaving powerful thrusters in their place, and his claws, which previously protruded from the tips of his gauntlets, were now streaked over the top, curving in at the tips. A blue crystal glowed in the middle of his snout horn, as well as on MetalGarurumon's head. Brown tufts of hair could be seen just below the helmet, and his armor had more shine to them than they had previously.

"Well... looks like we've been through the Digi-Surgery..." muttered MetalGarurumon, surveying his new body with interest.

"What power... So this is what engulfs X Digimon..." said WarGreymon as he flexed his now considerably larger muscles. "No wonder they wanted to take the world from their weaker counter-parts... It must have infuriated them when they, being stronger, couldn't control the world, leaving it in the hands of weaker Digimon..."

Seraphimon spoke up, "Be careful, the two of you. I have purified it, but there is something I cannot remove: the X Rage. That is the rage that consumes the X Digimon, that makes them so powerful in battle. Control yourselves as much as you can lest it consumes you, for you cannot control yourselves when consumed by it."

The archangel suddenly fell to his knees, then a yellow light enveloped him and he devolved back into Patamon.

"Sorry TK... that took more out of me then I expected..." he muttered weakly.

TK shook his head, holding the little Rookie close to him. "No. You did well, Patamon."

Next to them, Magnadramon devolved as well.

"Phew..." sighed Gatomon as she sat down. "That took something out of me as well. Seraphimon was draining a bit of my power to sustain himself while he purified the data. That X-Virus was some mean strand of virus!"

Kari ran to her and buried her face in the feline's fur. "Thank you... Gatomon."

Gatomon brushed the girl's hair. "Don't thank me just yet. We have a lot more battles ahead of us. Seraphimon saw something of the future, but I saw something of the past. A blade, long and sharp, beautiful as an icicle, deadly as its tip. As Seraphimon did, I saw red hair, and something he didn't: gold eyes."

Kari stiffened as she heard this.

"A blue shirt, with patches of red. Long red hair, and a ground stained red." The feline Digimon turned to glance at her tamer, sensing her stiffen. "What's wrong Kari?"

Kari relaxed and shook her head. "Nothing." She replied.

Gatomon sighed. "I wish you would tell me things Kari... I might be able to help you know..."

Kari, in her turn, sighed as well. "Gatomon, there is nothing wrong. Trust me on this one... 'kay?"

Gatomon turned to look at her tamer with an unfathomable look in her eyes. Their eyes locked: feline and human, blue and brown. Kari was held immobilized by the cat's unblinking gaze, and in her mind rose unbidden a thought, a memory, of a man. Red hair, and a cross-shaped scar. Then, as quickly as it had come, the image faded and Kari found herself free of Gatomon's hypnotic gaze.

"GATOMON!" she rebuked. "You said you wouldn't do that to me anymore!"

But instead of affectionately teasing her, Gatomon had a look on her face. Kari couldn't place it at first, then it dawned onto her.

Fear was etched on every line of the now creased face of the feline, and the very smell of it was oozing from her skin.

"Gatomon!"

Patamon came flapping over, placing a gentle paw on his friend's head.

"What's wrong Gatomon?"

He had apparently picked up the scent of fear.

Imperialdramon, who had just been saying his farewells to the two X Megas and their tamers, suddenly lifted his head and sniffed, then looked right at Gatomon, saying something to WarGreymon X and MetalGarurumon X before walking over, accompanied by the other five. TK arrived shortly before the others.

"Gatomon...? Gatomon what's come over you? We did it! We beat Apocalymon!"

Gatomon looked up into TK's hazel eyes and shook her head. "Him...?" she muttered.

"Huh? What're you talking about?"

The others arrived, and the huge Imperialdramon, who towered over them, bent his head to speak with Gatomon.

"Gatomon...? What happened? Tell me."

"B... B..." Gatomon was struggling to get her words out.

"Buh? Buh what?" gently insisted the DNA Mega.

"Battou..." was all the struggling cat managed to get out before she collapsed.

"GATOMON!" Kari screamed.

* * *

Another cliffhanger. I have to start ending like this to get people interested in wanting more. Anyways, remember to review! I've got another 13 chapters after this, ready to post! xD 


	4. The Spirit of Fire

Thank you again, LordPata. Yes, I'm a fan of that pairing too. xD this chapter's for you, nice and long as I am wont to do!

* * *

"Battou...?" murmured MetalGarurumon X.

"Could it be...?" said Imperialdramon in disbelief.

WarGreymon X shrugged. "I don't know... But one thing is for sure: Gatomon has been overcome with fear. We must get the Digidestined to safety."

Tai and Matt started to protest.

"But– "

"We're not leaving without–"

"Silence, both of you." WarGreymon X cut in. "The Digital World needs you again, that much is clear for the X Digimon would not randomly attack you instead of the other million people in Japan. And besides, they risked a great deal attacking you lot, for you have us to defend you. But apparently, the Chosen Ones are too important a key to the defending of the Digital World to leave alive. That's why they are attacking you."

"But what about the others?" said TK.

"Leave that to me. I gotta go anyways. A bit overdue, but Davis and Ken can cope," said Imperialdramon, spreading his draconic red wings. "At least, Ken can. But Davis... who knows what Daisuke gets up to? See yas."

With that, the huge dragon took to the air, the updraft of his powerful ascent blowing around them and buffeting them around.

"Now, I have to go to the Digital World to arrange a haven. MetalGarurumon, you go round up the other Digidestined." WarGreymon X took charge. "Remember to call Lobomon to give you a hand. I'll give Agunimon a house call. Leave them to defend these guys."

MetalGarurumon X nodded. "Right. But you know Lobomon... he isn't exactly the most social of guys..."

WarGreymon X grimaced. "Yeah... But Lady Ophanimon and Lord Seraphimon would've briefed him on the situation, as well as the others. What I don't get is why the four Digital Gods wouldn't brief us."

Tai tried to stop him.

"But it's dangerous! What if the X Digimon decide to attack again?"

WarGreymon X took hold of Tai's shoulders gently.

"I'm leaving you in the capable hands of my friend, Agunimon. He is more than capable enough of taking care of you. Also, Magnadramon will be here. Wouldn't you Gatomon?"

Gatomon, who had recovered from her faint and fear nodded reassuringly. "But WarGreymon, who is this Agunimon?" she asked.

WarGreymon X, like Seraphimon, couldn't make his expressions shown easily. But unlike Seraphimon, whose helmet completely covered his head, WarGreymon X's helmet revealed his eyes, with which he transmitted his emotions. And right now, his eyes were crinkling at the corners, indicating humor.

"Let's just say he has a keen sense of humor."

Gatomon's eyes narrowed. "WarGreymon..."

"You'll see when he gets here. I gotta go now. Careful now."

With that, he raised his feared Dramon Slayers, the gauntlets which had ended many the life of an evil Digimon, slashing downwards and generating a vortex that swirled with all the colors of the rainbow.

"Head to the railway station. I will meet you there when I have finished my business," he said, stepping through the portal. The last thing they heard as he disappeared was, "Tai... Be careful..."

"WarGreymon..." Tai murmured.

Beside them, a roaring blast was heard as MetalGarurumon X took off into the air. "Matt! Take care of yourself ya hear?!" he shouted down as he lifted off.

"Yeah! You too MetalGarurumon!" came the reply.

With the two Mega levels gone, the six of them were left standing alone, suddenly feeling very vulnerable.

"What now?" piped up Patamon.

"Well... we head to the railway." Now was Tai's turn to take charge. "It's supposed to be a school day. It'll be empty."

"Yeah. Lucky our herodom gives us some freedom eh?" muttered Matt.

Tai ignored him, and continued. "I don't know who this Agunimon is, but until he comes, we need to be wary. Gatomon, you're still pretty weak after that purification, as well as that battle against Apocalymon. Seraphimon is pretty drained as well. In the station, we won't need to be worried of aerial attacks, and there'll be plenty of warning if anybody decides to come at us from underground or above ground. WarGreymon chose a good place."

The rest of them nodded, and they set off.

* * *

Two hours later, they arrived panting outside the station. They had narrowly escaped at least three attacks by various Digimon, mutated into more powerful forms by the X Virus. Side roads, alleyways, it was lucky Patamon could fly, in a way, by flapping his ear-wings and being small, could spy pretty easily around corners. That had saved their hide more than once, since although they were all recovering from their earlier battle, it would still be some time before they were fighting fit, and even longer before they could face up to the tougher opponents.

"Whew..." panted Tai, "I never knew Japan was so big!"

"Well..." replied TK, his hands on his knees, "I knew most of the places, considering me and Kari first saw Willis nearby..."

Kari nodded. "Yeah. It was nearby; you can see the paw prints of Chocomon around the area..." She lapsed off as she remembered the suffering of the huge Champion level Wendigomon.

Two years ago, the team had encountered Willis, a boy from the USA who had had the rare occurrence of having twin Digimon born from a single Digitama. However, one of the Digimon, a Terriermon, was sub-consciously treated better than the other, a Lopmon, and the result was that the poor Digimon soon enveloped himself in a veil of anger and sadness, which caused him to Digivolve before his time, causing a huge shift in balance as the Digidestined pursued him, hoping to put him out of his misery, aided by Willis. Soon enough, they cornered him, and a battle commenced. The Champion level Digivolved, and the battle grew even more intense as the Digidestined from the second generation sans Ken; TK, Kari, Daisuke a.k.a. Davis, Miyako a.k.a. Yolei, Iori a.k.a. Cody Armor Digivolved into their Armor forms to face off against the new threat of Antylamon. The battle soon reached time-collapsing proportions as the Ultimate level Digivolved into a Virus form of Cherubimon. The shift in time caused the Digidestined to grow backwards, resulting in a group of three-year-olds, but who have the minds of thirteen-year-olds. Finally, Angemon and Angewomon Warp Digivolved into Seraphimon and Magnadramon, summoning the Golden Digi-Eggs of Miracles and Destiny, which in turn evolved Veemon and Terriermon to Magnamon and GoldenRapidmon. Together, the duo defeated Cherubimon's Virus, causing him to revert to his Vaccine form. However, without the virus to heal him, Cherubimon disintegrated into data particles and vanished, leaving behind a distraught Willis and his twin brother, Terriermon.

Now, so long after that, Kari could still feel the darkness of the virus that had emanated from the suffering Digimon when they had run past the area where they had first encountered Terriermon trying to fight off his twin brother as the Champion level attacked them. However, it turned out that Wendigomon had not been trying to kill them, but had been trying to bring them back to 'where it all began', the field where Willis had first encountered the Digitama. Terriermon, a small white rabbit-like Digimon with long ears and green stripes, as well as a small horn in the middle of his forehead had fought off Lopmon, almost an identical form of Terriermon except for a purple brown color and purple stripes and three horns instead of one, in the very field where they fought Wendigomon for the final time as he Digivolved twice into Cherubimon's Virus form.

Suddenly, the Digidestined heard a loud roar.

"Duck, it's another one!" shouted Tai.

Together, the Digidestined ducked down low, feeling the wind of a passing Cannonbeemon X, a mechanical wasp-like Digimon with a laser cannon in place of its tail and a honeycomb like missile launcher on its back in place of wings. The cyborg insect roared again as it fired its attack.

"Family Reunion!"

Millions of wasp shaped missiles shot out of its launchers, only to be dodged by the Chosen teens as they bobbed and weaved through the missiles.

"Whoa!"

Suddenly, a burst of flames smashed into the back of the Cannonbeemon X, sending it plummeting to the ground.

"Burning Salamander!"

A tall humanoid figure leapt before them, standing almost a head taller than Tai, who, with his bushy brown hair, was the tallest of the group.

"Hey! Sorry I'm late guys. WarGreymon sent me," said the Digimon, for Digimon he obviously was.

He was dressed in red armor, with a red mask covering his head that held the familiar tri-horn design of the Greymon line, but the horns were different in a way. For one thing, this Digimon was as human-looking as possible, and if it wasn't because of his two-clawed feet and mask, he would definitely be regarded as human. Yellow hair spilled out from behind his mask, reaching to his waist, and white armor covered his chest, as well as having straps around his thighs and having a block of armor on the back of each hand. His feet had white armor right above them too, and red shin guards with yellow flame-like decorations covered his legs. The same red armor with yellow flame decorations covered the rest of his body, with what looked like black clothing visible where his armor didn't cover himself fully. A medallion hung around his waist, with the Japanese word for Fire embedded in it. The same word was on his thigh guards and shoulder-pads, highlighting his element. But strangely, three holes in a triangle formation were on each of his hand guards, as well as on his red kneepads and on the white armor above his feet.

"The name's Agunimon, and I'll be your guide and guard for the day, or until WarGreymon comes back whichever comes last. If you'll excuse me..."

Agunimon leapt backwards in a perfect back flip, soaring higher than any human could do without external help and stomped his heels into the Cannonbeemon X, who had been trying to ambush him from behind. The mystery of the triangle of holes was solved as flames sprouted from them as he slammed his fists together.

"Burning Salamander!"

The flaming Digimon pulled his fists apart, fire pouring into the vacuum formed by the air forced away from the area, then the flames spiraled around his arms, ending in twin fireballs in each of his hands. He then threw each fireball at the Cannonbeemon X as he leapt into the air, knowing that the bionic sensors of the Cannonbeemon X needed a small amount of time to focus and determined not to give it that time.

The fireballs slammed into the tail laser, destroying it and rendering one of the cyborg's weapons useless.

"Y'know, you're not gonna do nothing if you can't hit me," taunted Agunimon.

The Cannonbeemon X gave a grating screech as it changed tactics, turning its fearsome launchers at the Digidestined.

"Scatter Blast!" it screeched.

A small energy ball appeared on both sides of the launchers, then joined into a larger one in the centre. With another roar, the Cannonbeemon X fired the large ball at the Digidestined, who scattered.

"Gatomon Crest Digivolve to... Angewomon!"

"Patamon Digivolve to... Angemon!"

The two angels emerged in the blue light of evolution, and the male Angemon spun his staff, his emotions unreadable behind the mask that hid all angels' faces. His mouth however, was set in a grim line, visible because his mask covered only the top half of his face.

Angewomon summoned her bow, drawing and firing an arrow of energy that pierced right through the energy ball. However, the ball shattered, sending smaller balls everywhere.

"Kari! Run!" shouted TK.

"No, both of you run!" shouted Agunimon, leaping in, fire blazing from all the holes in his armor, completely enveloped in flames. "WarGreymon told me to keep you safe! Salamander Break!"

Agunimon started to spin around, the flames forming a mini-tornado around him as he spun around and around, the suction drawing the energy balls to him, as he held a leg out to act as a buffer which knocked the balls back away from him and the Digidestined. The balls smashed into the pavement and nearby buildings, creating mini-explosions as they detonated.

"Angel Rod!" shouted Angemon. The angel had six white wings on his back, and his black helmet only covered the top part of his head. Orange hair hung down over his back, reaching to his waist. His white torso had a black belt around the waist, with blue sashes covering the bottom part of his body. In his hand was a golden staff, and it was this staff that he now wielded, skillfully whacking each ball away from the Digidestined as they came near, sometimes catching two or three at a time as he spun his staff from hand to hand.

Angewomon decided that her bow was of no use in trying to deflect the energy balls and held her hands above her head. "Heaven's Charm!"

The portal that appeared above her sucked in some more of the energy balls, which she converted into energy to power-up her arrow attacks.

"Celestial Arrow!" she called, and the arrow that appeared in her hand bigger than usual. Drawing the string back, she took careful aim and let loose, aiming for a spot in the Cannonbeemon X's head.

However, the cyborg insect caught sight of the white arrow seconds before contact, and with a sideways flick of its head, it managed to avoid it by mere centimeters. With a cackle, it sent another Family Reunion attack at the Digidestined, ignoring the Digimon.

TK jumped to one side, narrowly avoiding one ball as Kari ducked underneath another. Matt took cover behind an old dumpster and called for them to join him.

"Guys! Over here!" he called.

TK and Kari ran over instantly, and Kari screamed as a couple of energy balls exploded around them.

Tai however, was going on the offensive. His Crest of Courage glowing unheeded, he picked up a broken pipe from the ground and charged into the fray. As Kari watched, the same image that she had seen before floated in front of her eyes. The pipe that Tai was carrying had a shimmering sword super-imposed on it, and flames roared up around Tai. As she looked at Matt and TK, she noticed that with her new-found sight, Matt's right arm had the mechanical arm super-imposed on it again, and the winds that blew around him had reached gale force, tearing all around him on the metaphysical plane as his narrowed eyes focused on the Cannonbeemon X. A large rock was in his hand as he took careful aim, then let fly with it that smashed into the back of the Cannonbeemon X. But TK's transformation made her gasp.

"Kari? What's wrong?" asked TK, concern evident in his voice as he gazed at her.

Kari forced her mouth closed and shook her head. "Nothing," she said.

"Are you sure?" persisted TK. "Maybe we should get WarGreymon to– Look out!"

He pushed her to one side, just as an energy ball smashed and detonated where they were just a moment ago.

"–hurry up…" he finished, panting slightly.

Kari nodded. "Right." She decided to keep her vision of TK a secret, and peered out from behind the other side of the dumpster where TK had pushed her out of harm's way.

Despite Agunimon and Angewomon's best efforts, the Cannonbeemon X was proving a stubborn obstacle.

"Dang it! Stop moving so much!" shouted Agunimon. "Burning Salamander!"

But the agile cyborg, despite its destroyed tail, was still hell bent on getting the Digidestined, firing its Family Reunion and Scatter Blast attacks at random, forcing the Digimon to go into some pretty extreme evasive maneuvers.

Tai, on the ground and without Agunimon's agility and massive leaps was at a disadvantage, but with the Cannonbeemon X's attention diverted by Angewomon and Agunimon and Angemon's attention taken up in swatting away the balls that came too near, he had more or less a clear run as long as he managed to dodge the energy balls ricocheting everywhere.

"Courage!" he shouted, jumping up with all his might as he used the pipe as an Olympic challenger would have used a pole vault, boosting his jumping height as he swung the jagged edge over his head to slam into the Cannonbeemon X's belly. The Cannonbeemon X screeched in pain, rearing back and affording full access to its tender underbelly.

The Crest of Courage was by now glowing almost blindly, and Agunimon seemed to pause for a while in which he gazed thoughtfully at Tai, but the next instant it was gone as the flame Digimon launched a volley of Burning Salamanders at the exposed underbelly of the Ultimate level X Digimon. Angewomon summoned her Heaven's Charm power-up again, then called upon her bow again, firing a Celestial Arrow right through the spot where she had missed earlier.

"Sorry big boy, no one gets away from me twice," she said, holding up one finger and cocking it from side to side in a 'no' fashion.

Angemon drew back his fist and light rays started bursting forth from it as he prepared his trademark attack.

"Sorry to say this mister, but she's right. Hand of Fate!"

As Angemon punched forward, the rays of light solidified into a huge beam of holy energy that shot toward the Cannonbeemon X, crashing right into the same spot where Angewomon's arrow had pierced.

"See ya round sometime. Ciao!" called Agunimon, as the Cannonbeemon X thrashed around in pain. "Salamander Break!"

Again, flames roared around him as he started to spin around, rising into the air as fire spiralled around him. With a cry, he struck out with his foot, the flames coursing down his leg to smash into the Cannonbeemon X's underbelly.

With a high-pitched shriek, the Ultimate level X Digimon disintegrated into data particles.

Agunimon landed lightly on the ground and turned to face them.

"Well, shall we continue?" he said, as though there had been no interruption.

Tai dropped the pipe where he stood. "I can not believe I just did that…" he said. "I swear I cannot believe that…"

Agunimon clapped his hand on Tai's shoulder. "We'll make a warrior out of you yet."

Tai's hands were still shaking. "I hope you will. 'Cause right now I feel like I could crawl under my bed."

Kari, Matt and TK cracked up, while Angemon and Angewomon devolved back into their lower stages and laughed as well. The streets rang with their laughter.

But even through her laughter, Kari noticed her vision fading away as it had done, leaving Tai looking completely normal, albeit a bit out of breath. Glancing quickly to her sides, she noticed the winds around Matt had disappeared, as well as the changes to TK. She narrowed her eyes in wonderment.

"Well, let's go!" cried Tai.

* * *

Alright, stuff the reviews. I'm posting this up 'cause I feel like it, reviews or no!. Insert maniacal laugh here 


	5. Trust

Well whadaya know? The minute I said that I would still update even without reviews, I got none. T.T Ah well, this is up for your pleasure as well as mine... _Sighs_ Short chappie too. Just goes to show how sad I am... T.T

* * *

WarGreymon X landed in the small secluded forest clearing, where a small hill in the middle was all that could be seen that marred the otherwise perfect clearing. 

"Jijimon!" he called softly. "Jijimon! It's me, WarGreymon!"

A scuffling sound started somewhere in the clearing, then abruptly stopped.

"Password?" came a booming masculine voice that seemed to come from everywhere at once, making it impossible for anyone, human or Digimon to identify the source or area from which it came from.

WarGreymon X chuckled softly. "Same old, same old. Courage Jogress Friendship, Omega."

A small hiss came from the base of the hill, and part of the ground literally dropped away as near translucent steam came hissing softly from the hydraulics that supported what now appeared to be an advanced secret hideout. A small Digimon waddled out, barely reaching the waist of WarGreymon X. Straggly hair hung down over his face, completely covering his face and revealing only a similarly long moustache. He wore what seemed to be clothing from the Stone Age, and to add to the impression, he held a staff that had what looked like a paw on its top.

"WarGreymon by golly it is you!" exclaimed the tiny Digimon. "Hell you've changed! When I picked you up on the monitors I wondered whether I'd have to blast you out of the sky! What happened?"

WarGreymon X knelt down so that they were on the same level.

"Jijimon, it's been a long time. You look well," he replied. "I've absorbed the X Virus that Seraphimon purified. That's why I look like this."

"You WHAT?!" Jijimon jumped back in surprise. "The X Virus?!"

"I've absorbed the X Virus, yes, but Seraphimon had purified it into the X Antibody," answered WarGreymon X, wanting to calm down his long-time friend.

"I've got that part in, but the questions I want answered are when, how and why!"

WarGreymon X sighed. "It's a long story..." he muttered, shaking his head. "Let's just say it was a vacation gone horribly wrong."

Jijimon shook his head as well. "WarGreymon... you get in the biggest scrapes I've ever seen with your association with the Chosen. Let me guess; you need a safe haven for them to shelter in while you train them?"

WarGreymon X's eyes twinkled, and it was easy to tell he was smiling. "Jijimon, you know I trust you and your power. Right now, I, no, we, need the use of a place to refuge. It must be able to stand attacks from some of the most powerful Digimon in the Digital World, and then some. The X Virus affords immense power, and the X Antibody does the same. But presently, only MetalGarurumon and myself have the X Antibody. We two alone cannot hold out for long against a determined bunch."

Jijimon shook his head again, sharp eyes observing his friend from behind his shaggy hair. "No... You have enormous power within you, as does MetalGarurumon. You two haven't even Matrix Evolved yet, and you're already taking on the big guns. Anyway..." he stomped his staff on the ground a couple of times as he coughed. "... you're all welcome to stay here. Go tell your friends to come, I'll make the necessary preparations as well as get the weapons ready."

WarGreymon X nodded. "Right. Thank you."

With that, he slashed another dimensional crossing with his Dramon Slayers and leapt through it, again calling over his shoulder, "Be careful!"

* * *

Once WarGreymon X had left, a patch of shadows hidden behind the hill suddenly moved, revealing a Tsukaimon. This was a Virus from of Patamon, basically the same shape but with a coloring of midnight blue. 

"So Jijimon… what are you gonna do?" it asked in a thin whispery voice. "The master will be very happy with you… Maybe a couple of promotions…?"

Jijimon turned to gaze steadily at the Tsukaimon.

"WarGreymon is my friend, and I will not betray him."

"Ah… but are you sure…? The master will reward you greatly…"

"Enough!" shouted Jijimon. "Cat's Cane!"

Although small and seemingly insignificant, the little Digimon was in fact a powerful Mega level. As Jijimon brought his cane round in a sweeping arc, the little Rookie stage had no chance as the staff crashed right through him and obliterated him instantly.

Jijimon then gazed up at the sky.

"Rest easy my friend. This place is secure."

* * *

Please, just because I said you didn't need to review doesn't mean you shouldn't! T.T 


	6. Roots of Strength

Heh, sorry, LordPata, for getting so emotional. I actually posted them around 12 hours apart, but yeah, that _is_ too short a time to expect reviews. Thanks for reviewing the next chapter though. Oh, and Patamon is gonna be on the recieving end of a lot of damage... I think I took this sacrifice thing too far... xD But all will be right in the end... I hope...

* * *

Meanwhile, MetalGarurumon X had arrived outside the apartment where Mimi lived.

"Mimi? Mimi! It's me, MetalGarurumon!" He knocked tentatively at the door. "Mimi?"

Suddenly, a burst of ivy vines smashed through the door, curling around MetalGarurumon X and holding him firmly.

"Oh no you don't! You don't fool me!" shouted a small green creature, shaped like a plant that had uprooted itself and with a large purple flower on its head. The feet that were planted firmly into the ground were literally planted, digging into the linoleum floor as the vines that tied MetalGarurumon X up were connected to the plant Digimon's hands.

"Palmon! It's me!" gasped out MetalGarurumon X, who although he could have easily burst free of the vines, refrained from doing so for fear of hurting his friend.

"Yeah right! I've heard that line plenty of times! Now hold still while I suck up your energy!" replied Palmon.

"It's… true!" gasped MetalGarurumon X, his internal computer registering the pressure coming in from outwards.

Palmon hesitated a bit.

"Why aren't you resisting?" she enquired, loosening her ivy vines just enough to let MetalGarurumon X speak.

"'Cause I don't wanna hurt you..." MetalGarurumon X replied after catching his breath.

Palmon retracted her ivy vines. "Fine. You've convinced me. But look behind you and don't freak out."

A small bead of sweat trickled down MetalGarurumon X's brow as he noticed a shadow surrounding him. He slowly turned around.

A huge metal-plated forging hammer was positioned right above his head, and the hammer was connected to a large hand that was connected to an even bigger creature, instantly identifiable as a Digimon. He had on his back huge shell-like armor, and a horn protruded out of the top of his head. Twin tusks stuck out from beneath his upper lip, and orange fur covered his head and left arm, as well as his legs. Blue skin covered the rest of his body.

"This guy troubling you Lillymon?" boomed the large Digimon in a deep growling voice.

MetalGarurumon X whipped back around, and saw that Palmon had Digivolved into her Ultimate stage.

Lillymon was a beautiful fairy-like creature, with thin delicate green wings and a pink dress, as well as green vine-like hair tumbling from beneath the pink bulb-like helmet she wore. Green fairy boots encased her feet and flower petals formed bracelets around her wrists. But right now, those flowers had merged together as she held her hands together to form a cannon-like weapon that was now pointing straight at him.

"I admit that you were very persuasive. But you can't fool me. Flower Cannon!" she cried.

A blast of green energy fired out of her cannon, and MetalGarurumon X ducked and rolled at the same time, barely avoiding the hammer as it came crashing down, as well as dodging the energy blast.

"Wait! Guys, it's really me!" he shouted as he ducked and weaved. The X Antibody he had absorbed gave him heightened senses and reflexes, and he managed to dodge all their attacks as they fired as fast as they could.

"Zudomon! Trap him!" shouted Lillymon.

The huge sea behemoth lifted up his huge hammer and brought it crashing down. "Vulcan's Hammer!"

A blast of lightning shot out from where his hammer met the ground, leaving a huge crater as the bolt shot towards MetalGarurumon X.

"Damn... Right, if you want me to..." muttered MetalGarurumon X as he swiveled the atomic laser on his left shoulder into its armed position. His bionic sight revealed a countdown to its firing and his system quickly mapped out the best non-lethal areas to aim for. "3... 2... 1... Initiating Laser X-R5," came a mechanical voice from his earpiece. "Forgive me..." he murmured as he fired a blast at the feet of Zudomon. "Blue Crusher!"

The force of the blast sent a huge explosion up, another indication of the power of the X antibody. Zudomon, for all his size, was visibly pushed back, leaving deep gouges in the ground.

"What the...?!" he called out.

Lillymon turned around with a cry and hovered above Zudomon's head.

"Right, no more games. Who are you? Why won't you attack us?" she shouted.

MetalGarurumon X swiveled his atomic laser back into its standby position.

"Like I said, I'm Matt's MetalGarurumon. I've absorbed the X Virus, and that's why I look like this now."

"The X VIRUS?!" gasped the two Ultimate levels, although one was much smaller than the other.

"Well... more like the X Antibody. Seraphimon purified it, and it has given me more power than I've ever had before... I now understand why the X Digimon wanted to attack..."

"Where's WarGreymon?" asked Zudomon.

"He's arranging a safe haven for us. Right now, Tai, Matt, Kari and TK are waiting in the railway station. I'm here to escort Mimi there, but it looks like Joe's coming along too. So you guys coming?"

Lillymon and Zudomon huddled up, or at least Lillymon flittered around Zudomon's head, while Zudomon ducked his head. Furious hisses were heard as well as an occasional glance MetalGarurumon X's way as the two friends debated.

Finally, the two of them came to a decision. Lillymon came fluttering over, and landed in front of MetalGarurumon X with her hands on her hips.

"Fine. We'll trust you for now. Lead me to where Matt and Tai are. Then we'll come back for Mimi and Joe," she said. "And don't try anything funny."

MetalGarurumon X hid a smile. They'd traveled together the entire length of the Digital World and here she was telling him to keep his hands to himself.

"Right," he answered. "Nothing funny. Check."

Fuming, Lillymon followed him as he activated his back thrusters and flew into the air.

* * *

Heh, another short chapter, but one that has some fun in it. I'm not gonna pressure anyone for reviews, although it makes a guy sad when he doesn't get any. T.T The next one will hopefully be longer. XD 


	7. Death of an Angel

LordPata, you're gonna hate me for this chapter... You'll see what I meant by my comments in the previous chapter, about how I took the sacrifice thing too far. As for the Zudomon thing, no, I didn't mean for them to seem like that, but perhaps I will... Perhaps I will... xD

* * *

Hiding in the relative safety of the railway station, the Chosen Children, although more like Chosen Teens now, huddled together in a discussion group. 

"Right, now what are we gonna do? WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon aren't back yet, the others haven't come, and the X Digimon are staging attacks at an increasing rate. Any ideas?" asked Agunimon.

"Hide?" spoke up Patamon.

"Wellll..." answered Agunimon, drawing out the 'l' sound, "I don't think that's a good idea. Hiding will just prolong our survival while the X Digimon look for us, then deletion if they do find us."

Being a Digimon, Agunimon said deletion instead of death, for they both mean the same thing, having life torn away from them.

"But we can't meet them head on either... They'll just waste us!" exclaimed Tai.

"No... We can't..." muttered Matt. "But we can't hide either, like Agunimon pointed out."

"So what can we do...?" asked Kari softly.

"Resist," said Gatomon firmly. "Resist them with all our might and do as we usually do: Head right to their root and destroy it."

Agunimon nodded thoughtfully. "The girl's got a point... That helped you in the past hasn't it...?"

"Yeah... I guess so... But where is their root?" asked Tai.

"Easy," said Agunimon confidently. "Follow the enemy till you come out at their HQ. Track them like a Dobermon, and attack with the speed of a Rapidmon and the strength of a Zudomon!"

"Good idea. Problem is, we never know where they come from," countered Matt, practical as always.

"Ah... but there's where my friend comes in."

Before Agunimon could elaborate, a huge roar crashed through the air. A Deltamon X smashed through the entrance of the railway station, all three heads snarling. With a skeleton head for its left hand and a bionic head for its right as well as a normal dinosaur head as its main one, this Champion level X Digimon was one to be reckoned with. Its blue skin glowed with a strange luminescence that lit up the slightly dark station. The white spot on the tip of its nose quivered as it scented the Chosen Children and advanced towards them with another roar, its twin tails lashing from side to side.

"Serpent Bite!" it hissed as it launched its right hand/head forward.

"Stand back!" shouted Agunimon as he launched his own fiery projectile attack. "Burning Salamander!"

As the teens and their Digimon hurried behind their guardian, the two attacks met head on, and with a loud blast and lots of smoke, the victor emerged.

However, the victor was the metal right hand of the Deltamon X, which shot forward to snatch up Agunimon in its jaws.

"Ugh!" he grunted, trying to shake off the head. But his efforts were easily denied; powerful though Agunimon's fiery attacks were, his physical strength wasn't as powerful, serving only enough to match say, a Garurumon.

Flames started to pour from the holes in his armor as he desperately tried his other attack. "Salamander Break!"

However, even as the black scorch marks scoured the surface of the bionic head, it crunched down even harder, and Agunimon screamed in pain as the sharp teeth of the mechanic head increased its pressure on his armor.

Finally, as Agunimon slumped down in the Deltamon X's grasp, the Champion level grunted and tossed him aside. It then drew back its two heads as well as its centre one and a ball of energy concentrated in each.

"Triplex Force!"

Each head shot forward, firing a beam of energy that met before the Deltamon X and formed a huge laser that aimed straight at Agunimon.

"Agunimon!" shouted all the teens at the same time.

Agunimon groaned, then slowly bent his weight onto one leg and pushed off, sending him flying out of the laser's way. But even that effort seemed to tire him, and he went down onto one knee.

The Deltamon X lifted its head and sniffed, then laboredly turned its head in his direction. The teens were already coming to the conclusion that its eyesight was exceedingly bad, but its sense of smell and hearing was excellent.

Suddenly, it thrust its head forwards, blasting a blue flame at Agunimon.

"Argh!" screamed the severely weakened Digimon.

"Agunimon! Stay strong!" yelled Tai. His eyes fervently scanned the area for something he could use to help Agunimon. But unlike the streets above, the station was very clean besides the rubble now littering the area, meaning that there were no stray pipes which he could use.

Matt was glaring at the Deltamon X, trying to note whichever areas seemed weak and storing them away in his mind.

Kari was frantically flitting her eyes from Deltamon X to Agunimon, feeling lost.

However, TK was gazing at Agunimon, channeling the Hope of which he was the bearer of into the Digimon who was trying so hard to protect them.

Suddenly, Tai's head, which had been slowly lowering, snapped up.

"Agunimon! Don't fail WarGreymon!" he yelled.

Agunimon's eyes lit up, then narrowed. He would not fail his idol, no matter what. His hand inched slowly to a small device strapped on his waist.

"Slide..." he murmured.

"Delta Force!" roared the Deltamon X as it fired three separate blasts of energy that spun in a triangle formation as it sped towards Agunimon.

"...Evolution!" shouted Agunimon as he brought the shining device up.

"Slide... Evolution...?" gasped the Chosen, having never heard of that Digivolution route before.

* * *

A blast of fire exploded from Agunimon's fist, as swirled around him as he gave a blood-curdling scream. Digital data enshrouded him as he became nothing more than a black shadow engulfed by flames. The Delta Force attack dispersed harmlessly around him as a tornado of fire brewed up around him.

"Vritramon!" he shouted, blazing new wings sweeping the flames away from him.

The new Digimon, seemingly Ultimate in level, stood eight feet tall, and had the familiar tri-horn design as well. However, the horns were slightly different; with the side horns set further back along the now white helmet. His skin seemed to be still clad in the skin tight black suit, with red, gold and white armor. He now sported wings, and the very feathers appeared to be made of fire, but on closer inspection it could be seen that the feathers were actually bright orange and downy, but covered with fire. His feet were now two white claws, with white armor over gold kneepads. Gold arm guards now covered his arms, and a long red powerful tail sprouted from below his armor.

The new Digimon stepped forward and faced up to the Deltamon X. His arm guards swiveled round and split open lengthwise, revealing concealed blasters within them.

"Now, it's your turn," he growled, his blue eyes narrowing. "Corona Blaster!"

The mounted blasters on his arms started firing red energy blasts at the Deltamon X, pelting it with numerous blasts. Each blast was already pretty powerful, but the combined effect of hundreds of bolts slicing through the Deltamon X resulted in it screaming in pain.

"Delta Trinity!" it shouted as it fired three bolts of triangles in quick succession, each head firing one.

But Vritramon just spread his wings and took off, and although the ceiling was too low for there to be any real flying, he was still able to maneuver himself around the attack and flew straight at the Deltamon X in a kamikaze flight, as flames exploded from his entire body.

"Flame Storm!"

He smashed straight into the Deltamon X, barraging through it completely and landing behind the Deltamon X, still covered in fire. But then he channeled the flames to his tail and whipped it around, sending the flames scorching through the air and wrapping itself around the Deltamon X. The Deltamon X screamed in agony as the flames seared through its digital flesh, wrenching it from its frame and dissolving it into data particles.

* * *

"Yes! We did it!" shouted Tai, punching his hand into the air.

"That wasn't too bad," smirked Matt.

"That was awesome!" squealed Kari.

TK just smiled and nodded.

Vritramon turned to face them and smiled.

"Thanks for the support guys. I couldn't let WarGreymon down now can I?" he said. His voice had gone down an octave, and was more of a growl than a voice. He was considerably less human-looking now too, compared to Agunimon.

"Now, as I was saying," he continued. "My friend Lobomon should be here anytime now. Keep your eyes peeled for a wolf."

Matt's eyes narrowed. "Wolf?"

Vritramon shrugged. "More or less. He's a lupine in his Human Spirit form, and looks like a pale purple version of my Agunimon form except for a wolf-shaped helmet and a long scarf. He also wields twin sabers of light. In his Beast Spirit form, he looks something like MetalGarurumon, but he's white in color, with yellow stripes. He has a dark blue underbody, and gold sickles on his shoulders. He also has wheels that can click down behind his feet if he feels the need for extreme speed."

"Human Spirit? Beast Spirit?" enquired the teens.

"Yeah. Let's just say its a different evolutionary technique. I'll explain later. Anyway, you'll know Lobomon or KendoGarurumon when you see him."

"I'm sure you will."

A new voice came down the now ruined stairs of the railway station. Leaning on one of the more intact supports was a figure about Agunimon's height, but while Agunimon was clad in red, gold and white, this Digimon was clad in purple, pale purple and white. The top part of his head was covered in a wolf mask while the bottom half was open, revealing what seemed like a human mouth. His armor was more or less like Agunimon's, only he didn't have any holes and they were light purple where Agunimon was red and dark purple where Agunimon was gold. He also wore the black body suit slightly visible by most of the other Evolutions.

He looked down at the group and they saw deep black eyes surveying them carefully.

"Hey."

Vritramon nodded back. "Guys, Lobomon."

The newly identified Lobomon shifted his weight almost unnoticeably to his right leg, then pushed off, leaping into the air and landing silently before the group, looking around him and taking in the ruined surroundings.

"Trouble?" he enquired.

Data surged around Vritramon as he 'Slide Evolved' back into Agunimon.

"More or less. Enough to force me to Slide Evolve," he replied. "But luckily not enough to force me to Double Spirit Evolve."

Lobomon nodded.

"Where's WarGreymon?"

Agunimon shrugged. "Who knows? He might be coming back, but then he might not. We'll just have to hang tight and wait for him and MetalGarurumon."

Lobomon nodded.

Suddenly, the ground started to rumble. A low growl started up all around them, echoed back by the empty building.

The teens shrank back, and Gatomon and Patamon Digivolved into their Ultimate forms. Agunimon and Lobomon moved like lightning, streaking around to cover the front and back of the Chosen, leaving MagnaAngemon and Angewomon to protect their flanks.

"On the count of three..." muttered Agunimon, flames starting to burn around him, starting from a small blaze to a blazing tornado. "...roll to your left."

"One," counted Lobomon, his hands reaching to his waist.

"Two..." continued Angewomon, her bow summoned and arrow notched.

The rumbling intensified into a literal quake which had the teens wondering what the effect was above ground.

"Three!" shouted MagnaAngemon, throwing down his arm as he summoned the humming purple blade of Excalibur.

* * *

The teens dived to the side as ordered, and chaos exploded all around them. Fire, light and holy energies as well as the purple blade of Excalibur clashed against huge rocks that thrust upwards from the floor.

A huge form loomed out of the hole in the floor, crushing through the roof and letting fresh air through for a brief moment before the dust fell again.

Agunimon breathed in sharply.

"A Vermillimon X... They're really serious in getting us..." he muttered.

The Vermillimon X was like an enormous one-horned rhinoceros, or more like a one-horned triceratops. He had a reddish hue all around him, and gave off an aura of extreme heat. His back was completely covered by hard armor-like plates, as was the top part of his head and the front of his legs. The rest of his body was a reddish color, but with a white underbelly.

Lobomon, who now held in his hand two glowing sabers of concentrated light and heat, settled into a fighting stance.

"Whatever," he said as he leapt into the air and came plummeting down, holding his sabers close to his chest as he pointed them downwards, letting his momentum as well as his own force increase the force of his attack.

MagnaAngemon flew off into the air, slicing his own blade in a wide arc to cut through the already weakened roof of the station. "To give us flyers more room!" he called as he quickly flew down with his beam shield on his left arm activated to shield the Digidestined from falling debris.

The Vermillimon X however was not impressed.

"Volcanic Strike II!" he shouted as he opened his mouth and fired a small meteor at the group.

'Duck!" shouted MagnaAngemon.

Agunimon and Lobomon moved together, leaping into the air and firing their projectile attacks at the meteor, trying to divert its course elsewhere.

"Burning Salamander!"

"Licht Kugel!"

Agunimon slammed his fists together as he usually did when initiating his attack, sending flames rippling all around his arms before he concentrated the fire around his fists and sent them flying towards the meteor.

Lobomon had a small cannon strapped to his right wrist and he charged it up and fired a beam of pure light which slammed through the meteor and this combined with Agunimon's Burning Salamander sent the meteor of the Vermillimon X's Volcanic Strike II attack veering off to the side and slamming into the debris behind them all.

But the explosion that ensued on the meteor's contact still did its damage: It left the Chosens' ears ringing and made them disoriented for a while.

MagnaAngemon was buried under some rocks, but the beam blade of Excalibur slashed once and the rocks were blasted away from him. He brushed himself off. "Right. That does it," he muttered. "Guys! Over here! Gate of Destiny!"

The same Gate that had sealed Apocalymon X appeared before him, and a final slash through the centre of it unlocked the bane of evil.

But the Vermillimon X had other ideas.

* * *

"Re-format..." he growled.

Data surged around him as he changed, the Re-format attack changing his very data structure as he transformed into another Digimon.

"Kimeramon X!" roared the new Digimon.

Agunimon narrowed his eyes.

"Kimeramon... X...?!"

The Digidestined gasped.

"No..." started Tai.

"...way!" yelled Matt.

The new Digimon was grotesque, to say the least. The Digidestined had last faced it when Ken, in his brainwashed identity of the Digimon Kaiser, had thrown together different parts of Digimon to form this new composition Digimon. With the upper body and head of a Greymon, the helmet of a Kabuterimon, the hair of a MetalGreymon, the right arm of a SkullGreymon, the arms of a Devimon, the left arm of a Kuwangamon, the wings of Angemon and Airdramon, the legs of Garurumon, and the tail of Monochromon. In other words, an extreme case of mismatched genes.

The composition Ultimate level Digimon roared loudly.

"Heat Viper!"

A blast of concentrated heat was fired out of his mouth, arcing through the air to melt through the very rock at their feet, the extreme heat sending the teens reeling back. The heat also sapped MagnaAngemon's energy, forcing him to close the Gate of Destiny. Seeing the predicament, Agunimon took charge.

"Lobomon! Its time to Slide!" shouted Agunimon.

Lobomon nodded, and a device strapped to his right wrist just under the cannon started to glow.

Agunimon reached to his waist and pulled his own glowing machine and they shouted together.

"Agunimon!"

"Lobomon!"

"Slide Evolution!"

Flames roared up around Agunimon as a piercing bright light was emitted by Lobomon. Two screams came as the power that flooded through them caused them to give vent to primal feelings deep within them as the Beast Spirit took over from the Human Spirit.

"Vritramon!" shouted the dragon warrior of fire, wild flames pouring off him.

"KendoGarurumon!" declared the wolf of light, beams from the sun above reflecting off his white armor.

The two new Beast Spirit levels faced off against the Kimeramon X.

"Flame Storm!" shouted Vritramon.

"Speed Star!" followed KendoGarurumon.

"Combination Attack… Phoenix Meteor!" they shouted together.

Flames roared up around the two of them as Vritramon flew and KendoGarurumon clicked down his wheels and literally flew along the ground, each weaving in and out of each other, Vritramon's flames wrapping around both of them, with KendoGarurumon's speed increasing their intensity. The flames started to warp, twisted and contorted by the wind of KendoGarurumon's passing, forming the figure of a phoenix, with its sharp beak of fire pointing forward.

The phoenix shaped fire flew in the air, aiming for the Kimeramon X's Greymon-like torso.

The Digidestined watched anxiously, praying that the Kimeramon X would be defeated as soon as possible. They knew from experience the strength of the genetic mix-up that formed Kimeramon, and they had no desire to see that strength be increased by the X Virus.

Angewomon flew higher and higher, her arms glowing with holy energy.

"Heaven's Charm!" she cried. The circle of energy formed by her spreading arms started to absorb the heat from the Kimeramon X's Heat Viper attack, making it more or less bearable for the teens. She then morphed the fiery heat into more holy energy that she used in her Celestial Arrow attack, aiming to go right through the Airdramon wings of the Kimeramon X.

MagnaAngemon gritted his teeth as he traced the mystical runes of the ancient Digital language in the air. When he was done, the lines he traced shimmered green in the air for a while, then suddenly shattered into a waterfall of green sparkles. As the sparkles landed on his comrades' wounds, the wounds started to mend themselves, and they started to feel refreshed. His own wings, starting to smolder, soon healed, and they were good as new in a few seconds.

However, the Kimeramon X obviously didn't like the idea of defeat, and his wings started to glow with a sickly green, vastly different from the calm green of MagnaAngemon's healing technique.

"Poison Wing!" he screeched, spreading his four wings in a sudden movement that sent green beams flying off him. One of the beams smashed into Angewomon's Celestial Arrow, obliterating it instantly. The other beams flew towards Vritramon and KendoGarurumon, forcing them apart as they dodged the attack. Fortunately, just before they separated, KendoGarurumon had put on one last burst of speed before slamming on the brakes straight away, sending the flames spiraling before him, still in its phoenix shape. The fiery bird arced through the air, the flames dancing until it seemed like the phoenix was alive, and flapping its wings as it struck its target.

However, even with a massive explosion that ensued when the phoenix connected with the Kimeramon X, the Ultimate level X Digimon didn't seem in the least fazed. If anything, it seemed to enrage the Kimeramon X even more.

"Poison Viper!" he hissed, folding his glowing wings around him again, then suddenly spread them wide open with a mighty sweep, accompanied by the scorching heat laser from his mouth.

The combination attack scalded the air, flying every which way which forced the Digidestined to do some pretty impressive evasive maneuvers to avoid being hit. The Digimon, with their speed and flying abilities, had an easier time of it, but being larger, especially in Vritramon's case, they were still hit a couple of times.

MagnaAngemon quickly opened another Gate of Destiny, the vacuum from the attack drawing all the poison beams into it. He then initiated another Antidote technique, healing the damage done to the Digimon.

Fortunately, the Digidestined had managed to shelter behind a particularly large piece of rubble, although there was now a large hole through the centre of it, courtesy of a stray poison beam. The Heat Viper part of the attack had scoured the top part of the rock clean, but hadn't gotten near enough to do any damage to the humans, although the heat was still intense.

But the Kimeramon X had had enough of the annoying angel.

"Scissor Claw!" he screamed.

All four of his arms slashed out, forming claws which, true to the name of the attack, scissored though the air, crisscrossing each other's path as they surrounded MagnaAngemon. Then, they suddenly stopped moving, all four arms poised.

MagnaAngemon wasn't moving, but not for lack of trying. Looking closely, it was possible to see that his limbs were struggling, but he couldn't budge an inch. It was as though invisible strings bound him where he hovered, helpless in the air.

Angewomon flew over to MagnaAngemon, an arrow notched in her bow. "Celestial Arrow!" she shouted, drawing back her bowstring. But her arrow, flying through the air, was disintegrated by a Heat Viper sent carelessly by the Kimeramon X.

TK was frantic, his eyes fixed on MagnaAngemon. Kari had her hands to her mouth in an eerie replay of the moments before Lobomon's arrival, her eyes flitting from predator to prey as the struggling angel tried to break free of the invisible ropes binding him. Matt was galvanized into action by the look of helplessness on his brother's face, and he started to scramble around on the ground, picking up rocks and throwing them as hard as he could at the Kimeramon X's claws. Tai was helping him, yelling profanities at the Kimeramon X, and the rocks came raining down. But the Kimeramon X fired a Poison Wing attack at the Chosen, making them dive for cover.

Vritramon and KendoGarurumon made their move, sending blasts of fire and solar blasts in a roaring inferno around the Kimeramon X. But that didn't deter the Ultimate level X Digimon from plunging his claws forward, straight through MagnaAngemon.

"NOOO!!!" screamed TK.

MagnaAngemon was motionless, even the minute tremors of his body trying to escape were stilled. TK ran out from behind the rock, throwing everything he had within reach at his foe.

"MAGNAANGEMON!"

* * *

It was a saying come true, that history, once it has run its course, will renew its cycle, and MagnaAngemon's second time had come.

Matt rushed out, grabbing hold of his brother.

"TK! Get a hold on yourself!" he shouted, although there were also tears coursing down his cheeks.

Kari was sobbing quietly, all her hope gone. She couldn't even raise her head to look at her friend.

Vritramon and KendoGarurumon attacked with a new fury, backed up by a volley of arrows that the sobbing Angewomon sent from the back row.

"Celestial Rain!"

"Wildfire Tsunami!"

"Licht Torpedo!"

Arrows rained down, flames roared and light rays streamed from their attacks, and the Kimeramon X flinched from them, dropping the prostrate body of MagnaAngemon unceremoniously onto the ground. That was the final straw for TK, and his eyes blazed.

"Let me at him!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face. He raged at his brother's hands holding him firm, trying to wrench himself away from Matt. "I'll kill him! I'll tear him apart!"

Suddenly, a huge explosion blew what was left of the station roof apart, and flames leapt up all around them. A golden dragon warrior hovered in the air above, his green eyes blazing with fury as he gazed upon the data-bleeding body of MagnaAngemon. WarGreymon X had returned.

* * *

Sorry LordPata! I'm so sorry! But have hope... Patamon is the Digimon of Hope... Have hope! 


	8. Clearing Doubts

Heh, thanks guys, for all the reviews! xD Here's a piece of good news: Patamon ain't dying so easy. Now the bad news. The next two weeks will be update-less, since I've got exams. Sorry 'bout that. Still though, the next chapter will be put up three days from now. After that, I won't be updating for a week. Blame school.

* * *

"Gaia Force ZERO!" WarGreymon X shouted, massive threads of lava rising from cracks that appeared in the ground and circling him, then pooling into a huge ball of flame that made him seem like an ant next to a trash can. His back thrusters alternated between each other to keep him steady as his powerful arm muscles drove the ball of living flame at the rogue X Digimon. 

TK broke free of his brother's grip, running to the body of MagnaAngemon, who although lay quite far from the Kimeramon X, was still in the blast zone of WarGreymon X's attack. The teens already knew the power of WarGreymon's normal form without the X Antibody, and the big radius of the Terra Force attack, and TK wasn't going to take any chances. Five years ago he wouldn't have been able to lift MagnaAngemon's body, now he lifted it easily and ran back under the cover of the rock. His only consolation was that unlike before and when a Digimon is usually deleted, he hadn't dissolved into data strands yet. Maybe... maybe there was still hope. After all, TK was the Digidestined of Hope.

"WarGreymon!" gasped Tai. The explosion had been so powerful that his bushy hair was now almost completely swept back, leaving a rather windswept Tai gazing at his Destined Partner.

The only reason TK managed to escape the grip of his brother was because the shock of the explosion had startled Matt, loosening his powerful grip. He was now staring; mouth agape, at the incredible power of the X Mega Digimon.

Kari, looking up, again saw her vision: chilling winds blowing around Matt and his robotized right arm, a tornado of flames whirling around Tai and the brilliant red sword he was holding. His hands, although in reality had nothing in them, seemed to unconsciously form a grip, and in Kari's vision he was holding the sword as though he had always been holding it. But again it was TK's transformation that caught her eye. It was the same as before, and she wondered at the meaning.

"Argh!" roared WarGreymon X, throwing the ball with all his might at the Kimeramon X.

The Kimeramon X roared back in return, spreading all four wings as he prepared to take flight, but even the humans could detect the fear that laced his roar. It was more a roar of fear than of defiance, and WarGreymon X knew it.

Even as the Kimeramon X lifted off, the Gaia Force ZERO attack came crashing down, slamming the X Digimon back into the ground. Then, the explosion came.

* * *

It was unlike any other explosion that the Digidestined felt. Compared to it, the Heat Viper attack seemed like a water pistol compared to a sniper rifle or a machine gun, maybe even a rocket launcher. Even the Terra Force attack was literally blown away by the power of the Gaia Force ZERO attack. Bits of rubble flew through the air as the Kimeramon X dissolved into data particles with a rending screech within the blossoming orange flower that was the heart of the explosion. Then came the sound. A huge booming crash that echoed round the street, maybe even the whole city. The Digidestined and their Digimon grabbed onto their ears for dear life as the blast slammed through to their very eardrums. If a place could be called the Apocalypse, this would be it. 

When the last of the explosion had faded away, WarGreymon X landed on the ground before them. For a moment, Tai looked into those green orbs that formed his eyes and was startled, and a little frightened by what he saw. Anger... no... rage, rage and fury filled those green eyes that was normally open and wise. In that moment, Tai could almost see a hint of red in WarGreymon X's eyes, but when he looked more closely, it was gone.

"War...Greymon?" Kari whispered tentatively.

The Mega dragon shook his head, and his eyes cleared.

"I'm sorry I was late guys," he said. "Ran into a bit of trouble on the way back from Jijimon."

"Jijimon?" asked Kari.

"He's an old friend of mine, back before I met Tai," replied WarGreymon X. "When I came back, I saw that... freak."

A shadow passed over his eyes again. The teens understood. Kimeramon was made up of a lot of Agumon's Digivolutions. The body was Greymon, Agumon's Champion stage, and the hair was MetalGreymon, his Ultimate stage. Also, the skeleton arm that the Kimeramon X sported belonged to SkullGreymon, a Dark Digivolution of Agumon. It was almost as though the Digimon Kaiser had been mocking him when he had created the first Kimeramon, laughing at the former Chosen of the first adventure, and challenging the Davis, Yolei, Cody, TK, and Kari. Tai, Matt, Mimi, Joe, Izzy, and young TK and Kari were the Chosen for the first adventure, and TK and Kari had grown to become the members of the second team.

But one of the saddest things about the Kimeramon that the Digimon Kaiser had created was that it was destined to be undone by the very same line that he had been created to defy. BlackWarGreymon and WarGreymon had combined to overpower him, and the power of the Digimental of Miracles that had Armor Digivolved Veemon, Davis' Partner, into Magnamon. Their power combined had taken down Kimeramon, but WarGreymon had fostered a hate for all Digimon that were composed of the parts of others, although he was able to constrain that anger if he needed to. It was another symbol of the power of his will, that he was able to control what would normally have made another Digimon red with rage.

The force of WarGreymon X's anger at the Kimeramon X, as well as seeing his friend's body on the ground, enraged him so much that the Gaia Force ZERO attack, already very much enhanced by the X Antibody, was enough to totally blow the Kimeramon X to bits.

But then the shadow passed.

"Anyway, I've arranged safe lodgings in the Digital World for you guys. Has anyone else turned up?"

Matt shook his head.

"Nope. We've heard nothing from MetalGarurumon since he left."

WarGreymon nodded and turned to TK, who was still crouched over MagnaAngemon's body.

"TK, MagnaAngemon will be... more or less alright," he said. "That Kimeramon X's attack missed his Digi-Core completely, and the damage he took wasn't enough to cause it to go berserk either. He'll live, for now."

TK looked up, a light of fierce hope shining in his eyes. "Really...?"

WarGreymon shrugged. "I am a warrior, not a healer. But since I get wounded a lot myself, I have some knowledge on differencing fatal wounds from non-fatal ones."

TK's mouth set into a grim line. As long as there was hope, he would believe in it.

Angewomon flew down from the top of the ruined roof, where she had clearly been eavesdropping on their conversation. She raised her arms, and called upon her Heaven's Charm technique again to power her next skill.

"Healing Wave!"

A wave of white energy cascaded onto the prostrate body of MagnaAngemon, seeping around his body and sneaking into all his wounds. The healing energies of the technique started to work, elongating MagnaAngemon's time, for now.

The sound of turbo engines shattered the silence, and MetalGarurumon X and Lillymon landed on the ground before them.

"Hey guys, what happened?!" burst out MetalGarurumon X. "I could hear the explosion across the city!"

WarGreymon X indicated MagnaAngemon.

"A Kimeramon X attacked," he said. "It took out MagnaAngemon before I could arrive."

Vritramon stepped forward.

"WarGreymon... I'm sorry... I didn't managed to protect them..." he muttered, blue eyes downcast.

WarGreymon X shook his head. "Now is not the time for regrets. What has passed has passed. We need to focus on the present. Lillymon, where're the others?"

Lillymon looked around her.

"You were right after all..." she muttered. She then turned to WarGreymon X. "I didn't trust MetalGarurumon at first, seeing as he had absorbed the X Virus."

"It's the X Antibody now..." cut in MetalGarurumon X.

"Whatever. Anyway, Zudomon's back at Mimi's place. Mimi and Joe are hiding inside, and Izzy's somewhere in the apartment too, trying to contact Gennai," continued Lillymon. "He hasn't had much success so far..."

WarGreymon X nodded.

"But where's Sora?" interrupted Matt.

Lillymon shook her head. "Sorry Matt, I have no idea..."

Matt clenched his fist. "If anything happens to her..." he muttered.

Vritramon spread his flaming wings.

"I'll look for her. You coming, KendoGarurumon?"

KendoGarurumon did the closet thing to a shrug he could do, being a quadruple robotic lupine. With a click, his wheels clicked down behind his legs, and his stabilizing fins, which also served as a pretty useful pair of scythes, clicked out of his shoulders.

With a flap of his wings, Vritramon flew up into the sky, closely followed by KendoGarurumon on the ground.

WarGreymon X lifted a hand wearily to his head. "Right... Now that that's been taken care of..."

He turned to the kids, TK now holding the devolved Patamon's body in his hands. The injured Rookie was barely breathing, but breathing he was, and TK would do anything to save him. His eyes were like steel, hardened beyond tears, and his mouth was a grim line.

"We've got to get you to Mimi's place. Kari, send out a message on your D-Terminal. Tell everyone to get to Mimi's place. TK, once we get into the Digital World, my friend has an infirmary that Patamon can stay in. "

WarGreymon turned serious eyes onto Tai and Matt.

"Tai, Matt, this is where things get serious. This is a war where not only will Digimon fight, but humans as well."

"What?!" exclaimed the two.

WarGreymon X's eyes twinkled as he gazed at Tai.

"I seem to recall Agunimon telling me something about you beating the living daylights out of a Cannonbeemon a while back."

Tai blushed crimson.

"Um... that was... ah..."

Matt thumped Tai on the shoulder.

"Wake up," he said, although not unkindly, the hint of a smile on his lips. "Don't you go denying it! You bloody helped Agunimon back there. My rocks helped too though, so don't go claiming all the credit for yourself."

MetalGarurumon X suddenly held up a hand. Angewomon, Lillymon and WarGreymon X turned their heads sharply, followed by the human teens. Without saying a word, MetalGarurumon X indicated the ground.

"WarGreymon, the ground shakes. Someone, or something is coming." MetalGarurumon X sent to WarGreymon X over his internal radio.

WarGreymon X nodded. Now that his attention had been drawn to it, he too was aware of the tremors that now shook the floor. He gathered the teens around him.

"Guys, get ready. We move now."

His voice brooked no argument. Wordlessly, the teens packed up their gear... or what was left of it. Quickly, they followed WarGreymon X's lead out into the streets… and straight into an ambush.

* * *

There we go! Happy 'bout that? He's a tough one this Patamon. He ain't going down so easily. xD Please review, although I'll still upadte without them... 


	9. The Flames of Rage

Well, here's another chappy. Hope you guys enjoy it, and thanks LordPata for keeping with me since the first.

* * *

They came without warning, all manner of Digimon crashing out of the street surface, swooping in out of the sky, and clambering over buildings. All of them had the red eyes characterized by the X Digimon, and they had bionic implants similar to that of WarGreymon X and MetalGarurumon X.

"Scatter!" shouted WarGreymon X, his back thrusters powering up to full power as he shot forward to smash his claws into the nearest X Digimon.

MetalGarurumon X swiveled the missile compartment on his right shoulder into firing mode, and without bothering to aim, he fired them all off. Due to the numerous enemies all around them, it was no problem for the heat seeking missiles to do what they were meant to: Seek out heat. The missiles slammed into the Vermillimon Xs and the Meramon Xs first, then went for the other X Digimon near them because of the heat they generated.

Angewomon flew high into the air, her wings spreading in a rainbow halo. Her white bow appeared in her hand and she fired a volley of shots at the airborne X Digimon converging on them.

Lillymon fluttered her way through the X Digimon, firing off a Flower Cannon whenever she could. But since she and Angewomon were among the weakest Ultimates, they could barely hold them off, and usually just held an enemy at bay until WarGreymon X or MetalGarurumon X came by and destroyed the one harrying them.

Tai stole a look at Matt, only to find that the blonde was gazing at him steadily. He gulped, anticipating the worse.

"What?"

"Didn't WarGreymon say that the time has come for us humans to quit standing around like a pack of idiots and actually join in the fight?"

"Erm…. Well…" Tai fumbled for a reason.

"Don't you think this is as good a time as any to start?" Matt pressed his point. The teen bent down, picking up another broken pipe, but then he saw that it was a little deformed, and he tossed it away.

Tai gave furtive glances all around him at the advancing X Digimon that were being kept back by their friends.

"But…"

Matt finally found a suitable pipe and swung it back and forth, testing its lightness. His piercing eyes shot back at Tai.

"I don't know bout you, but those are my friends out there. I may not have helped them much before this, but I'm about to go try. Coming?"

Tai sighed, catching the pipe that Matt tossed at him.

"I hope you're right Agunimon, 'bout me being a warrior. Else I ain't ever gonna let you forget it… C'mon then. Let's go!"

The two of them charged into the fray, and Tai smashed his pipe into a Kokatarimon X right before it launched its Frozen Fire attack at WarGreymon X's unwary back, while Matt smacked his own pipe into the underbelly of a Monochromon X before it could fire a Volcanic Strike attack at MetalGarurumon X.

WarGreymon X's eyes held the hint of a smile as he turned and slashed down with his Dramon Slayers, deleting a pesky Ogremon X before turning his attention to a Brachiomon X.

MetalGarurumon X ducked and weaved, the rocket thrusters that helped him fly working overtime as he dodged attacks coming from all sides. He spotted a Frigimon X trying to get a cheap shot at Matt, and yelled out, "Yo Matt! Six o'clock!"

He spun upside down and dive bombed the Frigimon X with his bullets, then smashed his Gatling arm into the Frigimon X before unleashing a round of bullets into the X Digimon. The icy snowman Digimon gave a chilling shriek before it exploded into data particles.

The bionic wolf rounded on Matt.

"Don't you ever do that to me again ya hear?! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Matt grinned, spinning his length of pipe around him to smack into the snout of a particularly insistent BlackGreymon X.

"Sure, as long as you watch your own back."

MetalGarurumon grinned, spraying the area with bullets.

"Deal."

Fire roared up all around WarGreymon X as he held his hands above his head. The flames pooled within them as he drew back his Dramon Slayers and threw it forward, slamming into a whole group of enemies tying to swarm TK and Kari where they stood almost defenseless.

"Gaia Force ZERO!"

Suddenly, four red beams streaked across the area, heading straight for where Tai was bravely swinging his pipe.

WarGreymon X activated his thrusters up to full force, blowing a Tuskmon X to bits as he flew over to where Tai was and took the full blow of the red beams on his claws. However, his effort didn't help much as a swarm of bats descended onto them and started to bite them, tearing at Tai's human flesh and WarGreymon X's armor.

As Tai screamed, trying to throw off the bats, WarGreymon X swung his claws out to the side, generating a huge wall of flame around the pair, burning the bats into pieces. But Tai had been effectively put out of action, and was now lying on the ground, bleeding from numerous wounds caused by the sharp teeth of the bats.

WarGreymon X snapped.

His eyes clouded over in a red cloud, and a primal roar came from deep within him, as the X Antibody betrayed him, and the X Rage that Seraphimon had warned him of took him over.

Flames roared up around the enraged X Mega, and the X Digimon that were closest to him were unceremoniously incinerated.

Matt, fearful for his friend's safety, ran in under the flames, covered by MetalGarurumon X and Lillymon as he dodged the waves of fire that WarGreymon X was throwing off at random, destroying X Digimon who were too close. His eyes were narrowed: He had never seen WarGreymon this mad, even before the X Antibody, and unbidden in his mind he remembered what Seraphimon had said: "Control yourselves as much as you can lest it consumes you, for you cannot control yourselves when consumed by it." He feared for Tai's safety.

Tai, for his part, was trying weakly to get up from the ground. Soccer had given him a pretty good resistance towards pain, although the pain from the bats bite was still close to unbearable. He had never been in a brawl either. But seeing WarGreymon X, he was starting to shake, fearing that he might lose WarGreymon X as he remembered the words of Seraphimon as well.

Suddenly, a cackling was heard, just as Matt managed to drag Tai back into a shelter made by a big rock, and protected by Angewomon, Lillymon and MetalGarurumon X. A dark figure appeared over the horizon, heralded by a ring of bats. Dressed in an old-fashioned blue suit, with a billowing black cape and a red mask, Myotismon X had appeared; the one who had hurt Tai and sent WarGreymon X into his berserk mode. And he was laughing, even as WarGreymon X turned his red eyes onto him.

"Fool! Giving in to the X Virus so soon? And I thought you were stronger!"

WarGreymon X's eyes flashed, and he raised both of his hands.

"Spare me! I've seen that attack too many times, WarGreymon!" the Myotismon X laughed.

Angewomon gasped. "Is he... the same one...?" she muttered.

Kari, below her, watched the X Ultimate level approach with wide eyes. Was this the same Ultimate level that had enslaved Gatomon? The same Myotismon who had tortured Gatomon beyond belief until she could sustain Champion form indefinitely, at the cost of her power, and who had been trained to kill the one who had been her partner?

WarGreymon X didn't wait to reply. He was busy charging up his own attack, the one that the Myotismon X had mocked. However, instead of his trademark Gaia Force ZERO attack, WarGreymon X was doing something slightly different. Twin huge balls of fire were pooling in his hands, twirling and entwining themselves around each other, then stopping in each hand until he held a Gaia Force ZERO in each hand, double the strength of a normal Gaia Force ZERO.

The Myotismon X's eyes widened, then he launched his attack. "Grisly Wing!" He slashed outwards with his cloak, sending a wave of darkness at WarGreymon X.

But WarGreymon X, caught up in the X Rage, was not in the mood. Throwing back his hands, he launched both balls of fire at his foe, smashing right through the Grisly Wing attack and crashing into the Myotismon X. Instead of stopping, spirals of fire continued to course from WarGreymon X's hands to pour all over the Myotismon X.

"Terra Gaia!" shouted WarGreymon X.

The Myotismon X screamed, hands clawing at his throat as he struggled to absorb oxygen, for even Digimon needed to breathe, but the flames from WarGreymon X were unrelenting, and with a final screech, the Myotismon X exploded into data particles.

With the demise of their leader, the X Digimon disappeared as silently and swiftly as they had arrived. With no targets to turn his wrath at, WarGreymon X turned towards the Chosen, and he started to walk slowly and steadily at them, knowing that they had no way of escape.

"WarGreymon... No..." murmured Tai. 

* * *

Well... cliffhanger. XD I just might update over the exam period, since I've already written them, and just need to upload them here. Problem is I have no idea what to do once I reach the end of the Chapters I've written. xD


	10. Birth of an Angel

Heh, yes, he lives. And more too. XD Read on, loyal reviewer, LordPata!

* * *

A dark figure watched the scene from the top of a nearby building, invisible unless he wished it not to be. He watched impassively at the might of WarGreymon X, as well as the demise of the Myotismon X. However, when he saw the impending doom of the Digidestined, he acted.

A long thin, slightly curved sword was drawn from its sheath, and a hand was held up, swathed in Digicode. The tip of the sword was put to the Digicode, then drawn swiftly through it. The Digicode shattered, drawing itself around the figure. The light from the code revealed an 'X' shaped scar on the figure's left cheek, then it was hidden as the Digital Code covered him.

"Spirit... Evolution," said a low voice.

As the Digicode swirled around the figure, it slowly grew weaker, until it disappeared completely, revealing a humanoid covered in black armor, with two swords strapped to its back. A black scarf wound around its neck, and its helmet had the motif of a dragon's head, with red eyes. The bottom of a human face could just be seen at the bottom of the helmet, but the black scarf obscured any details. Red streaks punctuated the armor, pooling especially at the feet and the hands. On the chest area was a symbol, the Rune of Blood, amidst a pool of ruby.

"Bladedramon," murmured the new Digimon, for apparently Digimon it was.

With an inhuman leap, the Digimon cleared a television aerial with ease, drawing out its blades at a speed that the naked eye couldn't follow, spinning in the air with its blades held out to the sides and landing gracefully behind WarGreymon X, its blades sheathed in an instant.

WarGreymon X stopped in mid-stride, his red eyes suddenly opening wide. The Digimon behind him stayed motionless. With a gasp, WarGreymon X fell to his knees. His eyes changed from red back into the usual green. His breath came in ragged gasps.

Behind him, the figure stood up. Amber eyes gazed out at WarGreymon X from below the dracon helmet.

"The X Rage. Potent, isn't it? Do not let it overcome you again, for then I will have to delete you." The voice was low and growly, as though its user hadn't spoken for a while. "The Chosen must remain safe, for this new war they will have a role to play that is more important than Digimon. The X Virus has risen, and with it, the stability of the Digital World is at risk. You must be wary."

WarGreymon X wearily stood up, wavering slightly, then standing firm. His green eyes gazed at the new arrival with wonder.

"Who... are you...?"

The Digimon hesitated for a while, then replied, "Bladedramon."

With that said, the Digimon, Bladedramon, disappeared in a whirl of his black scarf. But as Tai would say later, as he left, right before he left their vision, a veil of Digicode surrounded him, and a glimpse of red hair could be seen, as well as the bright gleam of a drawn blade.

* * *

"I'm sorry guys... I guess I just flipped eh?" muttered a sheepish WarGreymon X.

But he was cut off as Tai ran up and threw his arms around his Destined Partner.

"WarGreymon!" he pulled back slightly, smiling up at the X Mega level through tear-filled eyes. "Welcome back."

WarGreymon X nodded as well, blinking back his own tears.

"I'm glad to be back."

* * *

They arrived at Mimi's apartment building to find the rest of the team already assembled there, with their Digimon arrived from the Digital World. They stood in a line, daring any X Digimon to come, which they did. When Tai and the rest arrived, they were all busy fending off attacks.

"Time to ditch this rubble!" shouted MetalGarurumon X.

Hidden missile compartments opened up all around his body, and the missile compartment on his right shoulder flipped up, followed by the atomic laser on his left. The Gatling machine gun that formed his left hand started to warm up, whirring with a low hum as MetalGarurumon X brought it up to bear.

"Garuru Burst!" he shouted, firing all his weapons at once. The bullets cut through the air, severing the tentacles of a Gesomon X, while the atomic laser blew a Soulmon X into data pieces with no problem at all. Missiles arced through the air, slamming into enemies, blowing them to kingdom come if they were weak enough, while weakening those who weren't.

WarGreymon X stepped up, flames gathering all around him. "Gaia Force ZERO!"

He threw his trademark ball of living fire into the fray as well, sending numerous Devimon X who were ganging up on Imperialdramon to the Dark Sea, the graveyard of the Digital World where all evil Digimon are sent upon deletion. Good Digimon were sent to one of the numerous Primary Villages around the Digital World, which are the nurseries of the Digital World, and where Digitamas were formed.

Angewomon sent a volley of white arrows over Lillymon's head as the nature fairy flew over to her tamer, blasting a team of weak Gizamon Xs out of her way as she did so.

"Mimi!" she cried.

"Lillymon!" came the return cry.

A tall girl with flowing brown hair and dressed in a long red skirt came running out, catching Lillymon in her embrace.

"Where did you go? Who are these... Digimon?"

Lillymon grimaced. "This is gonna be hard to explain. Just know that the MetalGarurumon X and the WarGreymon X are on our side."

"X?! I thought they were the bad guys!"

Lillymon shrugged. "They were. At least, WarGreymon was, almost. Don't ask." She added hurriedly, seeing her tamer open her mouth. "It's a long story."

Mimi Tachikawa closed her mouth and nodded. In battle, questions came later. Even the refined and polite Mimi knew that, although she had lived a sheltered life. Although Tai and the others would've said she had led a spoilt life.

* * *

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

The familiar huge bulk of Zudomon smashed his hammer into the ground, instantly deleting a group of X Digimon below it while the electric shockwave generated by the blow finished off another group of stragglers.

"Go Zudomon!" shouted a blue haired teen with glasses, looking slightly frail compared to the others.

"I'll take care of myself Joe! You get behind cover!" replied the sea creature.

The blue haired Jou Kido rushed to avoid a barrage of fire from a Tyrannomon X. However, the other, shorter teen near to him, wearing an orange shirt and with a laptop strapped to his back, and with lightning streaks on the sides of his shoes, stood his ground, urging a large beetle with a jewel in its hard shell onward.

"MegaKabuterimon!" he shouted. "Give 'em a taste of lightning!"

"Horn Buster!" shouted the beetle. Large and red with four arms and a horn to match, MegaKabuterimon was a force to reckon with, especially since he was roughly the size of Zudomon, which was no small feat. Being the partner of the Digidestined of Knowledge, Koushiro Izumi, helped too.

A blast of thunder hurtled from the tip of his horn: the projectile version of the attack. The blast of thunder smashed into the fountain near the front of the block of apartments, electrocuting a squad of Otamamon X whose bubbles had been irritating the team, although not wounding them much. The Horn Buster attack effectively put them out of commission, allowing the team to focus on the more important task of staying alive.

Nearby, a tall humanoid, with feathers coming out of his elbows and wearing a metal visor, and with a bird's body below the waist was firing blasts of red energy out of his hands, which were cupped together.

"Silphymon!" yelled a pink-haired teen with huge glasses. The girl was almost jumping up and down, despite the short brown-haired kid standing next to her who was trying to calm her down.

"Yolei, Silphymon will take care of himself. You better get down right about… now."

So saying, the kid threw himself to the ground dragging the teen, Miyako Inoue, with him as he dodged a full clip of MetalGarurumon X's bullets, which slammed into a Goblimon X that had sneaked up behind them. The kid, Iori Hida, stood up again, brushing off his clothes calmly.

Yolei however, stayed on the ground. "Cody, I don't know how you do that. We could die any minute!" she whimpered.

Cody ignored her, focusing on a small creature that looked vaguely like a robot, only it was completely made out of rock, which on closer examination turned out to be made of meteors that had crashed somewhere in the Digital World before. Most of the surface had been whitened by the sun's glare, making him look slightly white.

"Meteormon, there's a gap to your left. Hit it." He seemed calm, even through the chaos that was erupting all around him.

The rock creature nodded, leaping into the air and falling down with his fist out.

"Falling Star!"

The attack sent a huge explosion up, instantly deleting a group of Betamon X that were being too inquisitive for their own good. Nearby X Ultimates and X Megas were also knocked over by the force.

"Behind you."

Meteormon spun around, his fist catching an approaching Devimon X and deleting him instantly despite the X Champion's larger physical presence.

Meanwhile, Imperialdramon was smashing enemies right and left, pulverizing them with his powerful kicks and punches, with the occasional blast from the Positron Cannon on his wrist. Whenever his friends gave him adequate cover, both variations of the Giga Death attack inflicted severe casualties upon the X Digimon. All in all, he gave WarGreymon X and MetalGarurumon X a real run for their money.

The tamers of his two component Digimon stood side by side, yelling encouragement at their partners. Daisuke Motomiya and Ken Ichijouji couldn't have been more different, with Davis being outgoing and reckless, while Ken was cool as ice and always analyzed the situation with a critical eye. A boy genius, Ken was the Digidestined's enemy for a while, but it turned out that he was being manipulated, and he cast away his evil persona and joined the Digidestined after a series of events which ended with his Partner, Wormmon, being deleted before his eyes. That event made him see that Digimon were actually living creatures, not just pieces of data. Filled with guilt for his numerous crimes, he wants to punish himself by throwing himself into the most dangerous situations to help the Digidestined, but he is always followed by Davis who was his first and best friend, and was determined to keep Ken safe.

Now, Davis, with his trademark goggles that Tai had given him on his first venture into the Digital World perched on his brown spiky hair, wearing his usual blue blazer with fiery decorations along the bottom border and a fur collar over a pale brown shirt and wearing his usual khaki pants was standing side by side with Ken, who was also in his usual attire of light grey long-sleeved shirt and a pair of light grey track pants with his blue hair spilling over his eyes, cheering Imperialdramon on while Ken gave clipped orders as his cool grey eyes surveyed the area.

* * *

But the real winning cards for the Digidestined were WarGreymon X and MetalGarurumon X. The two X Megas wrecked havoc among the X Digimon ranks, using the incredible power gifted by the purified X Antibody to demolish their enemies and saving the teens' skins many a time.

MetalGarurumon X's pinpoint accuracy coupled with WarGreymon X's deadly efficiency formed the ultimate team, working simultaneously to hold back the much larger enemy force. Their experiences and skills as well as their determination made them more powerful than the occasional BlackWarGreymon X and BlackMetalGarurumon X that popped up, and a well placed Gaia Force ZERO or a carefully aimed Blue Crusher took them down almost as soon as they came up, although they sometimes proved powerful enough to stay standing after the attack, and then WarGreymon X or MetalGarurumon X would swoop down to take them on in one-on-one duels, leaving the other to take on the duty of protecting the others with Imperialdramon.

But unlike normal, where the Digimon were the only ones fighting, this time, the teens actually pitched in and helped, guided by first Tai, then Matt, then finally the impulsive Davis. Following their leaders' lead, the rest of the teens opened up their own assault, some like Joe and Izzy scared at first, but slowly growing bolder with each rock they threw, others like Mimi and Yolei who threw themselves right into the fray despite the fact they were girls and started smacking anyone who came near them with, in Mimi's case, her hat, while Yolei swung her briefcase.

But that was when Matt noticed someone missing.

"Where's Sora?!"

* * *

Sora Takenouchi, Matt's girlfriend, was the only one absent at the time. Her flaming bird Digimon, Garudamon, was also missing; only now missed despite her huge bulk.

Tai called out to WarGreymon X.

"WarGreymon! Have you seen Vritramon since he left?"

"No!" WarGreymon X shouted over his shoulder. "I haven't seen him since he left to find Sora!"

Matt slammed his fist into the ground, heedless of the pain. "Damn it! Where is she?!"

MetalGarurumon X shot down a Cerberumon X with his Garuru Burst attack, turning to face Matt as he trusted WarGreymon X to guard his back.

"Matt, you want me to radio KendoGarurumon or Vrtitramon? They've got inbuilt radios that let anyone with radios contact them."

Matt shook his head. "No... Leave them be. They can take care of each other and I trust Biyomon to take care of her. We better concentrate on getting this rabble outta here first..."

But although he threw himself into the battle with renewed vigor, there seemed to be an almost maniacal desperation in the way he swung his pipe. Tai came up beside him, covering his back.

"Matt, Sora's tough. She'll live. Trust me on this... 'kay?" Tai seemed to be trying to reassure himself as well as Matt, and seeing that just made Matt feel worse.

"Whadaya mean live?!"

He dropped his pipe on the ground with a clang, turning around and grabbing Tai by his collar.

"Tell me she's alive dammit! Don't give promises you can't keep!"

There was silence around them. The battle continued around them but it seemed like they were trapped within a bubble of air that let no sound pass through.

"Tell me… Tell me she's alive…"

Matt was sobbing, almost begging as his powerful grip lost strength and he slumped to the ground.

Tai knelt down beside him, awkwardly patting his shoulder, ignoring the fact that just seconds ago those shoulders had been tense and ready to shake him.

"Matt, I've known Sora a long time. If she wants to do something, rest assured: Nothing's gonna stop her."

Matt glanced up at him with tear-stained eyes, then his blue eye's suddenly widened as they focused on a point slightly above and behind Tai's shoulder. He pushed his friend out of the way, grabbing his pipe up and swinging it to smack stoutly against the muzzle of an Airdramon X who had sneaked through WarGreymon X and MetalGarurumon X's guard.

Tai whirled around, his own pipe swinging up in a whistling arc that whacked the Airdramon X right under the jaw, forcing it upwards where it was obliterated by a blast from MetalGarurumon X's X-R5 atomic laser.

Grinning through their mutual tears at their fears of Sora's safety, the two clasped hands together, sliding from that hand clasp into a battle position with their backs to each other.

"On the count of three…" muttered Matt, holding his pipe before him like a sword.

Tai nodded, in the same stance but with the pipe angled downwards as though he had just finished a slashing maneuver.

"One…" murmured Matt.

"Two…" continued Tai.

Then the cry came.

* * *

"Guys!"

"Wing Blade!"

"Corona Blaster!"

"Solar Laser!"

The three attacks came from above, with the armor lupine form of KendoGarurumon sending bolts of light energy down hitching a ride on the massive Garudamon's back behind Sora, while Vritramon flew nearby, raining down fiery blasts down onto the horde of X Digimon, which was noticeably thinning now. Flames gathered before Garudamon and formed the shape of a phoenix, then plummeted down to smash with an explosion in a thick swarming mass of X Digimon.

"Get on me," said KendoGarurumon, turning sideways so that Sora could mount him. "I'll get you down there."

With a leap, the lupine leapt into the air.

"Hold on!" he shouted. "Blade Whirlwind!"

He started to spin, literally drilling through the air as he dived down, with Sora clinging to his back as tight as she could with her eyes shut, trying to ignore the tumbling in her stomach. The golden wing blades on his back flicked out, and with that he sliced into the top of a Seadramon X, deleting it instantly as he landed on all four feet.

Sora, a little dizzy from the spinning maneuver, nearly fell off his back, but Matt, who had ran out the instant he heard her cry, was there to steady her.

WarGreymon X glanced over his shoulder, nodding to himself as he saw that Sora was safe.

"No mercy."

The words echoed through his mouthpiece, reaching the ears of all the Digimon present, both Destined and X. The codeword for the final push of the Digidestined galvanized them into action, the X Digimon now fighting for their lives, and the Destined Partners of the Chosen fighting to protect their partners.

"Gaia Force ZERO!"

"Garuru Burst!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!"

"Wing Blade!"

"Horn Buster!"

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Flame Storm!"

"Speed Star!"

"Giga Death!"

"Top Gun!"

"Galactic Flare!"

The explosion that went up was massive, with lightning threaded through it, as well as flames and streaks of red energy that came from Silphymon's fists. Bullets zinged through the air as MetalGarurumon X unleashed another seemingly inexhaustible torrent of armaments at the enemy, while Vritramon and KendoGarurumon jumped right into the middle of the explosion, using its power to enhance their own attacks. The single light beam that was emanated from Angewomon's bow separated into numerous rays that pierced through the bodies of the X Digimon, being especially effective on the darkness and undead-based X Digimon. Meteormon's Galactic Flare attack shot forth a huge blast of energy from within him, almost as powerful as an exploding star while Imperialdramon fired his awesome chest cannon.

And in the midst of all that the greatest miracle occurred. TK's D-3 suddenly glowed bright white and the insignia of Hope hovered in the air before him as a squeaky voice called out, "Patamon, Digivolve to... Angemon!" Then a deep warm voice continued the evolutionary line, crying out, "Angemon, Crest Digivolve to..."

The angel swung his right hand out, the mighty Excalibur humming to life as the purple beam shield activated in his left arm. His eight white wings spread through the air, while the purple beam shield on his left arm activated.

"MagnaAngemon!"

TK's eyes were wide in wonder and joy, tears of happiness brimming in the corners.

"Magna... Angemon..." he muttered.

"Gate of Destiny!" shouted the angel, slicing right through to the Digital World with Excalibur, opening the feared Gate and its terrible vacuum.

One by one, the X Digimon succumbed to the Gate, being drawn inside it even as they fought to retain their footing. First, it was a small trickle, then MagnaAngemon increased the power of the gate and soon there was a flood through the air of X Digimon as they were pulled into the Gate of Destiny, given no chance and expecting none as they roared and clawed at each other in a last desperate attempt.

"But… how…?" muttered Matt.

"Be gone!" called out MagnaAngemon. "The Gate of Destiny has decided your fate!"

Excalibur slashed down in a glowing purple arc, cutting straight through the middle of the Gate of Destiny and causing the two halves of the Gate to draw together, sealing the final lock. The Gate then shrank into itself, deleting itself and the X Digimon within it.

"Game… over." WarGreymon X lowered his Dramon Slayers, making a gesture that grieved for the souls of the dead. 

* * *

There, how d'you like it? MagnaAngemon's back! Yay! XD


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